Nearly 396,000 customers in the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama remained without power early Sunday as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias moved north, where widespread moderate to heavy rain was expected across the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic region.
Heavy rain associated with the storm could cause isolated flash flooding and strong wind gusts and remain a threat across the southeastern United States, particularly near the southern Appalachians, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). This could lead to scattered power outages and downed trees and power lines. Life-threatening wave and rip current conditions are expected to persist along the Gulf and Southeast Atlantic coasts.
At least four deaths are linked to the storm, including two people killed when trees fell on homes in Florida and Alabama. Forecasters have warned that flooding could extend as far as the Appalachian Mountains.
Isaias came ashore Friday as a Category 2 hurricane near Destin, Florida, a Gulf Coast vacation spot filled with skyscrapers and tourist shops.
Despite warnings of storm surge ahead of the storm, several major roads along the coast were open at dawn Saturday and free of downed trees and power lines typically seen after major hurricanes.
Hurricane-force winds in the Florida Panhandle blew the roof off a Pensacola hotel, and the city’s mayor said the airport “had some damage.” The storm flattened a boathouse in Destin and tore off part of the facade of a skyscraper in Panama City Beach.
In Florida’s Escambia County, Sheriff Chip Simmons said a woman was killed when a tree fell on her home – and a man died from carbon monoxide fumes from a generator running in his garage. Four members of the man’s family, ranging in age from 4 to 72, were treated but are expected to survive, the sheriff said.
The first hurricane of the Atlantic season, Isaias roared further into Alabama with tropical force winds.
One person died when a tree fell on a home in Birmingham, city Fire Chief Cory Moon said. A second storm-related death in Alabama was attributed to a car crash involving a downed tree in Barbour County, said Josh Johnson of the state emergency management agency.
Along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, authorities in Mobile reported numerous downed trees and power lines.
Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Georgia after the president did the same for Florida and Alabama, authorizing federal aid.
The U.S. Department of Energy authorized emergency trades of crude oil from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserves to address supply disruptions from the storm.
The NWS said parts of Georgia and the Carolinas could experience heavy rain that could cause flash flooding.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Simon strengthened to 155 mph (250 km/h), just below the threshold for becoming a Category 5 storm, as it approached the coast of Mexico. Simon is expected to bring heavy rain starting Sunday to parts of southwest Mexico, accompanied by life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
Tropical Storm Rachel is also expected to bring strong winds and rain to northern Mexico and southern California.
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