SuperTalk Mississippi reported on Oct. 10, 2026, that the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (169 kph), bringing damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding and life‑threatening storm surge to the Florida Panhandle and neighboring Gulf Coast areas.
The hurricane weakened to just below major hurricane strength before landfall and, the report said, was no longer considered a hurricane by early Saturday as wind speeds fell.
The National Hurricane Center warned of a 3‑to‑5‑foot storm surge from Dauphin Island, Alabama, to Florida’s Aucilla River and said dangerous conditions were expected throughout the western Panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi, SuperTalk Mississippi reported.
Officials and local reports described flooded roads in Destin, debris‑strewn streets in Pensacola and downed trees and power lines across the region. Social media posts cited in the report showed a roof ripped off an inn in Pensacola.
SuperTalk Mississippi said more than 664,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power early Saturday. Several Panhandle counties announced mandatory evacuations, Mobile, Alabama, imposed a curfew through Saturday morning, and some counties temporarily suspended emergency response because of dangerous conditions.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned of flash flooding and possible gasoline shortages and said about 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were deployed to help with the response and search‑and‑rescue teams were standing by, the report said. Several Waffle House locations in the Panhandle were closed, the report added.
Flights were grounded at several Panhandle airports, including all flights into and out of Destin‑Fort Walton Beach Airport. The report also noted that President Donald Trump told reporters the storm was “under control” as he returned to the White House from a rally.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
