In brief
Hurricane Isaias has been re‑classified as a post‑tropical cyclone after a hard landfall on Florida’s northern Gulf Coast, but its path northward continues to bring heavy rain and winds to Florida, Alabama and Georgia. The storm has triggered widespread power outages, mandatory evacuations and state of emergency declarations across three states. While Isaias moves toward the Tennessee Valley, two other storms—Hurricane Simon on the Pacific Coast of Mexico and the downgrading Hurricane Rachel near the U.S.–Mexico border—also threaten North America. Local communities are preparing, and high‑profile figures including the President have adjusted schedules to focus on emergency responses.
Hurricane Isaias has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone after striking the northern Gulf Coast of Florida, but the storm is still headed eastward, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the southeastern United States.
Hundreds of thousands of households in Florida, Alabama and Georgia are down without power, and the three states have declared states of emergency. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for coastal communities in both Florida and Alabama while federal resources were made available after the President approved emergency declarations.
Isaias is the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season. In more than three decades the Atlantic had seen a storm formation before October, but El Niño conditions in the Pacific are delaying the onset of the traditional hurricane season.
While Isaias moves north, the National Weather Service expects it to bring high winds and possible storm‑surge to the Tennessee Valley later this weekend. Evacuation notices and power‑outage reports are still being issued across the region.
Meanwhile, two other systems are threatening North America: Hurricane Simon is heading toward the Mexican Pacific coast and is expected to strengthen to Category 4 before making landfall near Puerto Vallarta, while the downgrading Hurricane Rachel will approach the U.S.–Mexico border, spurring flooding along California’s coastline.
Local residents in Pensacola have begun securing property, but some have chosen to stay and protect their homes despite warnings from officials. The Waffle House chain has already closed several of its restaurants in the storm’s path, and President Donald Trump cancelled plans to attend a college football game in Tuscaloosa to focus on relief efforts.
As authorities monitor the storm’s progress, a graphic below shows the projected track of Isaias from this Friday through Sunday.
