Two people died and more than 700,000 customers lost power as Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday. The storm hit as a Category 2 hurricane before quickly weakening to a post-tropical cyclone as it moved north through Alabama. Forecasters warned that heavy rain, life-threatening storm surges, and tornadoes would follow the system across the Southeast.

Isaias is expected to drop 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain through the weekend across southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Big Bend, and southwest Georgia. Flooding could also reach the southern Appalachians. Authorities have issued tornado warnings for parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, while residents along the coast brace for gusty winds and dangerous storm surges.

“The storm is here. Buckle down at this point. Don’t be getting out on the roads,” Florida governor Ron DeSantis said Friday. Roads in Destin and Pensacola flooded, and police ordered residents to stay indoors due to debris and downed power lines. Some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response Friday night because of hazardous conditions. Downed trees blocked roads in Mobile and Houston County, Alabama.

The storm disrupted travel and regional events. Most Friday flights were grounded at panhandle airports, including Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. President Donald Trump canceled plans to attend Saturday’s college football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, citing the need to avoid interfering with emergency response efforts.

Isaias marks the first hurricane to hit the eastern United States since Milton struck the Gulf Coast of Florida in 2024. Meanwhile, Hurricane Simon strengthened into a Category 4 storm near Mexico’s Pacific coast, and Tropical Storm Rachel is expected to bring heavy weather to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend.