Hurricane Isaias has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone after making landfall in Florida, leaving four people dead and hundreds of thousands without power.

Hurricane Isaias made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast late Friday as a major storm, bringing heavy rain, powerful winds, and flooding to the region. The storm has since been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone. Officials confirmed four deaths across Florida and Alabama, while hundreds of thousands of residents across Florida, Alabama, and Georgia remain without power.

Impact and Emergency Response

The storm caused significant damage, including downed trees and destroyed roofs. In Florida, two deaths were reported in Escambia County, where a woman died after a tree fell on her home and a man died from carbon monoxide poisoning related to a generator. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey confirmed two additional deaths in her state, where a sheriff was also injured while responding to a vehicle crash. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in both states, and the U.S. president approved emergency declarations to facilitate federal support.

Storm Development and Conditions

Isaias was the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, marking the latest start to a hurricane season in over 30 years. Meteorologists attribute this delay to El Niño conditions, which typically create wind shear that inhibits storm formation. However, as wind shear weakened, the storm intensified rapidly over warm Gulf waters, with experts noting that a deep warm-water eddy provided additional energy to the system as it approached landfall.