Hurricane Isaias makes landfall on Florida Panhandle with destructive winds and storm surge

(CNN) — Hurricane Isaias’ powerful center made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a 105 mph Category 2 hurricane at around 8:30 p.m. CT Friday.

Isaias is packing a punch. In addition to damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge continues along the Gulf Coast and flooding rain is spreading inland.

This is the first hurricane landfall in the United States since Hurricane Milton came ashore as a 120 mph Category 3 major hurricane south of Tampa exactly two years ago on October 9, 2024.

Isaias is the fourth named storm to make landfall in the US this season and by far the strongest. Every other system was a short-lived, tropical storm: Arthur impacted Texas on June 17; Bertha hit Louisiana on July 22; and Edouard made landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border on September 1.

Isaias is the first and only hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season to date.

Gulf Coast residents who didn’t manage to evacuate ahead of Isaias have been urged to shelter in place while more than half a million utility customers are already without power.

A rare extreme wind warning was issued for more than 500,000 people in the western Florida Panhandle by The National Weather Service and a rare “high risk” flood threat issued for Florida’s Big Bend and southern Georgia.

Hurricane-force wind gusts are being reported across the Florida Panhandle. In Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, a 116 mph wind gust was reported. The winds are driving seawater onto the coast – a phenomenon known as storm surge – raising water levels above normal tides. In Pensacola, Florida, palm trees and road signs are being battered and streets are deserted amid the dangerous whipping winds and sheets of rain.

Several concerts and music festivals were postponed or canceled across the Southeast ahead of the storm. And the National Park Service closed a national park as well as parts of another due to the weather.

President Donald Trump approved Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s request for an emergency declaration for some counties, the governor’s office announced. Forecasters and officials have urged people in the western Florida Panhandle under the extreme wind warning to shelter in place and treat the hurricane’s incoming strongest winds like a tornado.