Hurricane Isaias Slams Gulf Coast: 365K Lose Power

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 storm on Friday. The storm brought sustained winds of 105 mph, lashing the Florida Panhandle and Alabama coasts with wind and rain. More than 365,000 customers across Florida and Alabama lost power.

Forecasters warned of a significant storm surge, potentially reaching 6 to 9 feet in vulnerable areas. Mandatory evacuations were announced in several counties, and a boil-water notice was issued for parts of Florida. The closure of numerous Waffle House restaurants, typically open through severe weather, underscored the storm's intensity.

The hurricane was expected to weaken as it moved inland, but still threatened to bring heavy rain and flooding to the Southeast, with forecasts of 4 to 8 inches of rain. Future impacts were also anticipated across the Midwest and Northeast into Monday.

Flights were grounded at Panhandle airports, and fuel prices could be affected if refineries shut down. Meanwhile, other tropical systems, Hurricane Simon and Tropical Storm Rachel, were active in the Pacific and expected to impact Mexico and Southern California.