Hurricane Isaías weakens to Category 1 over Florida
The storm, which had reached Category 3 before weakening, made landfall as a Category 2 near Destin on Friday night and left more than 512,000 customers without power in Florida and Alabama.
The short version
- NotiCel reported that Isaías weakened to Category 1 with maximum sustained winds of 144 km/h after making landfall near Destin with 165 km/h winds and after having reached Category 3 earlier
- The hurricane caused heavy rains, fallen trees, blocked streets, damaged lampposts and a storm surge of 5.6 feet above normal tide levels in Panama City Beach according to NotiCel
- Florida declared a state of emergency in 27 counties and mobilized about 5,000 National Guard members while ordering evacuations in vulnerable areas NotiCel reports
- Metro Puerto Rico reported that the wide storm could bring flooding rains and coastal impacts as far south as Tampa and Orlando even if the center hit the Panhandle
Landfall and weakening
Hurricane Isaías made landfall near Destin in northwest Florida on Friday around 8:30 p.m. local time with maximum sustained winds of 165 km per hour, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center cited by NotiCel. The storm had earlier reached Category 3 before losing intensity prior to landfall, NotiCel reported. By Saturday it had weakened to Category 1 with winds of 144 km per hour while moving over Florida.
The system produced heavy rains, toppled trees, blocked streets with debris and damaged lampposts. A NOAA station in Panama City Beach measured water levels 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) above the mean of the higher high tides, NotiCel said. The National Hurricane Center warned of potentially deadly storm surge along the Gulf of Mexico coast and of flash flooding and tornado risks that could reach other parts of the Southeast through the weekend.
Emergency response and impacts
Florida declared a state of emergency in 27 counties and activated around 5,000 National Guard members to support response efforts, NotiCel reported. Several localities ordered evacuations in vulnerable zones and officials warned of prolonged power outages and infrastructure problems. More than 512,000 customers lost electricity in Florida and Alabama, according to local media cited by NotiCel.
Meteorologist Glorianne M. Rivera Santiago of the National Weather Service in San Juan told Metro Puerto Rico that the large storm, even with its center forecast to strike near Pensacola, could extend impacts including heavy rain, flooding and coastal surge as far as Tampa, Orlando and southern Florida. She advised Puerto Ricans planning travel to monitor conditions and check with airlines for possible delays.
Where the sources differ
Both sources agree that Isaías posed a significant threat to Florida with risks of heavy rain, flooding and coastal impacts. NotiCel focuses on the storm's actual landfall near Destin on Friday as a Category 2 after having reached Category 3, its subsequent weakening to Category 1 on Saturday, power outages affecting over 512,000 customers, the state of emergency in 27 counties, National Guard mobilization and specific surge measurements. Metro Puerto Rico, published two days earlier, reported the forecast track toward the Panhandle near Pensacola, the storm's large size that could affect central and southern Florida, and advice for travelers. The sources do not conflict on any specific fact.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state how many customers remained without power on Saturday morning, the total number of people evacuated, the extent of any damage or injuries in Florida or Alabama, or whether any tornadoes had been confirmed. They also do not indicate what actions Puerto Rico authorities took in response to the storm or whether flights to or from the island were affected.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting El huracán Isaías se reduce a categoría 1 sobre Florida
- Reporting Huracán Isaías podría golpear duro a Florida el sábado
How we checked this
NotiCel provided the post-landfall details, power-outage numbers, emergency declarations and surge data. Metro Puerto Rico supplied the earlier forecast and travel warnings from the San Juan meteorologist. All information is drawn from these two outlets and the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service as cited by them.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.