Florida officials take toll of Hurricane Isaias damage after Panhandle landfall – Orlando Sentinel - Florida News Beep

Hurricane Isaias made landfall as a Category 2 storm with 105 mph winds in the Florida Panhandle on Friday night, but it could have been a lot worse.

“The wind shear definitely weakened it as it came in and it also upset the structure,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis late Friday. “It’s still a challenge and we’re going to deal with that challenge.”

The system had been a major Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds just hours before its 9:30 a.m. landfall near Destin. The system was the Atlantic season’s first hurricane of the year, and it dropped in intensity quickly as it moved inland and up into Alabama headed for the Tennessee Valley.

Hurricane Isaias came ashore on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 downing trees like this one that damaged a truck seen in north Okaloosa County. (Courtesy/Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office)

Okaloosa County suffered much of the damage from Hurricane Isaias that came ashore Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, near Destin. (Courtesy/Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office)

Hurricane Isaias came ashore on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 downing trees like this one seen in north Okaloosa County. (Courtesy/Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office)

Hurricane Isaias knocked down trees and downed power lines as officials closed roads in Santa Rosa County on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (Courtesy/Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office)

Debris flies about an intersection as wind and rain from Hurricane Isaias pass through the area on Oct. 9, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

This infrared satellite image show Hurricane Isaias in the Gulf as it approaches the Florida Panhandle on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (GOES-East/NOAA)

A fallen tree blocks a street as wind and rain from Hurricane Isaias approach the area on October 09, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Michael Collins visits the beach as winds pick up ahead of Hurricane Isaias on October 09, 2026, in Pensacola Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Waves hit the bridge connecting Gulf Breeze to Pensacola, Fla. ahead of Hurricane Isaias, Oct. 9, 2026. Isaias surged into a Category 3 on Friday, undergoing a process that meteorologists call rapid intensification. (Hilary Swift/The New York Times)

Waves arrive ahead of Hurricane Isaias in Gulf Breeze, Fla., Oct. 9, 2026. Isaias surged into a Category 3 on Friday, undergoing a process that meteorologists call rapid intensification. (Hilary Swift/The New York Times)

Gina Holland evacuates her home with her dog Cici before the arrival of Hurricane Isaias on October 09, 2026 in Pensacola, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Qutanna Brooks reacts to the wind catching her umbrella as winds from Hurricane Isaias push through the area on October 09, 2026 in Pensacola, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Shawn Weaver flies a kite near the bridge connecting Gulf Breeze to Pensacola ahead of Hurricane Isaias, Oct. 9, 2026. Isaias surged into a Category 3 on Friday, undergoing a process that meteorologists call rapid intensification. (Hilary Swift/The New York Times)

People walk through the wind and rain as Hurricane Isaias approaches the area on October 09, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Chris Essex places sandbags in front of a business as people prepare for Hurricane Isaias’s arrival on October 09, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Frank Winn, 84, evacuates with his wife from his home as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Jason Coffey boards up a convenience store at a gas station as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Shahar David, employee at Cafe Bistro, feeds his family before closing as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Dan Conley (L) and Suzanna Buchanan put up shutters before the arrival of Hurricane Isaias on October 09, 2026 in Pensacola, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

People sit outside an evacuation shelter as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Residents pick up sandbags for storm preparation at the James Seals Jr. Parks & Recreation Center ahead of Hurricane Isaias’ expected landfall along the Gulf Coast, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)

Larry Smith boards up his home with plywood ahead of Hurricane Isaias’ expected landfall along the Gulf Coast in Dauphin Island, Alabama, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)

A home is boarded up with plywood ahead of Hurricane Isaias’ expected landfall along the Gulf Coast in Dauphin Island, Alabama, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)

Residents pick up sandbags for storm preparation at the James Seals Jr. Parks & Recreation Center ahead of Hurricane Isaias, expected landfall along the Gulf Coast, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)

Boat owner Tony Rice, foreground, and his friend Lance Connor haul doors onto his boat to secure it as Hurricane Isaias approaches Bayou La Batre, Ala., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A resident walks to his vehicle after filling up a gas container at the Costco Wholesale Gas Station ahead of Hurricane Isaias’ expected landfall along the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)

Surfers swim out to waves as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

People look out at the waves churning in the ocean as Hurricane Isaias approaches on October 09, 2026, in Pensacola Beach, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Silas Bowles, of Gulf Breeze, Fla. films the surf as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Surfers walk along the beach as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

People visit the beach as waves churn in the ocean as Hurricane Isaias approaches on October 09, 2026, in Pensacola Beach, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A heron hunts along the rough surf as Hurricane Isaias approaches Pensacola Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Jane Driscoll holds her hat as winds pick up while she collects seashells during a visit to the beach as Hurricane Isaias approaches on October 09, 2026, in Pensacola Beach, Florida. Hurricane Isaias is in the Gulf of Mexico as the season’s first Atlantic hurricane. It is projected to make landfall along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as a category two hurricane. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Okaloosa County suffered much of the damage from Hurricane Isaias that came ashore Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, near Destin. (Courtesy/Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office)

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Hurricane Isaias came ashore on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 downing trees like this one that damaged a truck seen in north Okaloosa County. (Courtesy/Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office)

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Lingering dangers from the storm included a tornado threat and flash flooding as bands strafed Florida’s peninsula farther to the east on Saturday morning.

The state had more than 430,000 accounts without power while another 450,000 were hit in Georgia and Alabama by early Saturday morning, according to tracking website poweroutage.us.

DeSantis said 16,000 utility personnel had been staged to deal with the power outages.

“Those crews will be mobilizing once the storm passes and they will be hard at work as soon as it’s safe to do so and they have the light to be able to operate,” he said.

He spoke again at 8:30 a.m. from the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. The broadcast can be seen on thefloridachannel.org and the governor’s social media accounts.

He said there had been one report of a death from a fallen tree in Escambia County, but it had yet to be confirmed as a hurricane-related fatality.

“State search and rescue teams are ready and able,” he said. “We have not yet received any request for search and rescue deployment,
and I think that’s a good sign.”

Already Florida Department of Transportation teams had cleared Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 98 and all state-controlled bridges had been cleared for travel.

DeSantis cautioned people to be cautious in the coming days.

“There could be downed power lines. Those are hazardous. There could be flood waters. Stay out of those,” he said. “On all these storms you will have impacts directly from the storms on peoples’ lives and safety, and there tends to be injuries and unfortunately deaths in the days after. So it’s still a very hazardous situation.”

President Trump on Friday approved an emergency declaration for Florida authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate federal disaster relief efforts covering the 27 counties under a state of emergency declared earlier this week by DeSantis.

Law enforcement agencies on Saturday morning began posting images of damage from overnight.

“Downed trees and power lines are blocking roads. Please don’t go out to sightsee! Let first responders and emergency management do their jobs for a faster recover,” reads a post from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Video posted on social media showed some of the damage across the region.

Video captured by Jordan Glass shows the roof being ripped off the Rest and Relax Inn on Plantation Road in Pensacola during Hurricane Isaias earlier tonight.https://t.co/XnjVgGJ2oN pic.twitter.com/Xcc8BpXeXg

— WEAR ABC 3 (@weartv) October 10, 2026

That included a roof being ripped off the Rest and Relax Inn in Pensacola, gas station signs and canopies collapsing to the ground, fallen trees and coastal surges flooding inland.

Several tornado warnings across the Panhandle and down to the Big Bend had been issued through Friday night. A tornado watch was in effect for parts of Florida and Georgia until 6 a.m. Saturday.

After landfall we started driving towards Pensacola and as expected, tons of trees were down, along with power lines. Daylight is going to be interesting. Currently back at the hotel, with no power of course. pic.twitter.com/2uJKRwiXhr

— Mike’s Weather Page (@tropicalupdate) October 10, 2026

Storm chaser Mike Boylan, who runs the site Mike’s Weather Page, rode the storm out in Fort Walton Beach, and on a drive back to Pensacola documented large fallen trees and downed power lines as well as several camper vans that had been turned on their side in Navarre Beach.

“I’m not talking little trees. We’re talking huge pines blocking roads and unfortunately are on people’s houses,” he said. “Power lines are down everywhere. It’s going to be a very impactful storm. … definitely packed some punch.”

Tim Mowry, who rode out the storm from his home in Pensacola, said the wind was so intense it sounded like a train whistle as it whipped through a crack in his patio door. He lost power around 4:30 p.m. but was able to rely on a generator. Standing water also covered his backyard, and parts of his fence were ripped down, but overall he said the storm wasn’t as bad as he expected.

“As far as Pensacola-wise, we really got fortunate,” Mowry said.

Mowry said his son, who lives about 15 minutes away, tried to drive to his home after losing power but had to turn around because downed trees and power lines blocked the roads.

The state was last hit in 2024 when Hurricane Milton struck the Big Bend region, one of three that hit very close to one another that year following hurricanes Debby and Helene, and only one year after Hurricane Idalia struck the same region.

Florida’s Panhandle had not had major hurricane impacts since 2020 when Hurricane Sally came ashore just west of the Florida-Alabama border, but did significant damage to the east.

“All in all we had a significant storm,” DeSantis said. “There’s obviously damage, there’s obviously debris, but in terms of some of the other storms that we’ve had, where we have had to really mobilize massive search and rescue, and bring people out of very perilous situations, fortunately that is not something that has been requested of us.”

He said he will be touring some of the effected areas during the day and more updates on the power restoration efforts would be coming.

“We’ll just keep working together and make sure that we get everyone back on their feet as soon as possible,” he said.

The Associated Press contribute to this report.

Florida officials take toll of Hurricane Isaias damage after Panhandle landfall – Orlando Sentinel

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