Isaias became the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season on October 8 as it moved toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. It brought heavy rain and flash flooding to parts of the Southeast, including Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Winds toppled trees and damaged power lines.
The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, on the evening of October 9 as a Category 2 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 105 miles (170 kilometers) per hour. Preliminary National Weather Service reports recorded a 117-mile-per-hour gust in Oriole Beach and a 102-mile-per-hour gust at Pensacola City Hall.
NASA Black Marble HD satellite images showed sharp declines in nighttime lights in parts of Pensacola and along the U.S. Route 98 corridor toward Destin. Lights remained visible at Pensacola International Airport, Pensacola Christian College and parts of downtown Pensacola.
