Isaias Weakens Inland After Category 2 Landfall Near Destin

Hurricane Isaias came ashore near Destin, Florida, Friday night as a Category 2 storm. It brought storm surge, damaging winds and more than a foot of rain to parts of the Florida Panhandle. The storm has since weakened over Alabama, but flooding rain and gusty winds are spreading across the Southeast this weekend.

Panhandle Hit by Surge, Wind and Widespread Outages

Isaias made landfall near Destin around 8:30 p.m. CDT Friday with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). It had briefly reached Category 3 strength over the Gulf earlier Friday before weakening slightly ahead of landfall. Isaias was the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season.

A NOAA tide gauge in Panama City Beach measured water 5.6 feet above normal high tide. A weather station near Santa Rosa Sound recorded a 116 mph gust, and Pensacola City Hall reported a 102 mph gust.