The first confirmed Hurricane Isaias deaths were reported Saturday morning, hours after the storm came ashore near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane. Two people died in separate incidents — one in Florida, one in Alabama — when trees fell on their homes during the night.
In Escambia County, Florida, a woman was killed late Friday, around 8:48 p.m. Central Time, when a large tree fell onto her home, the Sheriff's Office said. She was found pinned under it, unresponsive. In Birmingham, Alabama, another person died early Saturday when a tree fell on a home in the Huffman area on Monterey Drive. Fire crews responded after midnight and found two people trapped; Jefferson County EMA Director Jim Coker confirmed one death. Both reports came Saturday morning.
Quick Answer: Hurricane Isaias killed two people when falling trees struck homes in Escambia County, Florida, and Birmingham, Alabama — the storm's first confirmed deaths, reported Saturday morning. The Category 2 hurricane made landfall near Destin Friday night with 105 mph winds, leaving nearly 900,000 customers without power across the Southeast as it weakened inland.
Hurricane Isaias Deaths Confirmed in Florida and Alabama
Both victims died the same way: trees falling in the dark while the storm still held hurricane strength. No further details were released Saturday morning, and assessments were still underway — so the Isaias death toll in October 2026 could still change. For now it stands at two.
Wind damage stretched far inland. The National Weather Service office in Mobile said: "We have received reports of SIGNIFICANT wind damage stretching all the way from Pensacola northward into Conecuh and Wilcox Counties in Alabama." The strongest gust hit 117 mph on Santa Rosa Island; Whiting Field near Milton measured 114 mph.
That reverses the overnight picture — the Hurricane Isaias aftermath report said no fatalities had been reported as of late Friday night. Roughly 900,000 people had evacuated before landfall.
FILE PHOTO: downed trees and power lines in Bartow, Florida, after Hurricane Ian — not today's storm. (State Farm, CC BY 2.0)
Category 2 Landfall Near Destin, Florida
Isaias came ashore at 8:30 p.m. Central Time on Friday near Destin, Florida, packing 105 mph sustained winds. Isaias's landfall near Destin ended a two-year US drought of hurricane strikes — the last was Hurricane Milton in October 2024, two years to the day.
It was also the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026 after a relatively quiet season. Colorado State researcher Phil Klotzbach noted Isaias is only the fourth October hurricane to hit Florida since 2000, after Wilma (2005), Michael (2018) and Milton (2024). Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, speaking before landfall: "This thing hit like a freight train. It was fast. It came in like a Mike Tyson punch."
FILE PHOTO: a hurricane swirling over the Gulf of Mexico, on a path like the one Isaias took. (NASA GSFC, public domain)
Hurricane Isaias Power Outages: Nearly 900,000 in the Dark
The Hurricane Isaias power outages across Florida and Alabama climbed fast. USA Today's outage tracker at 10:51 a.m. Eastern Time showed Alabama at 283,869 customers out, Florida at 460,002 and Georgia at 116,230. PowerOutage.us put the Saturday-morning total at nearly 900,000 across the three states; Reuters reported about 800,000.
Crews were making progress. Around 100,000 customers had power restored by 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and Governor Ron DeSantis said 16,000 utility linemen had been prepared to respond. At a Saturday press conference in Tallahassee, he sounded cautiously optimistic, noting no search-and-rescue requests had come in — an early sign of limited impact.
"They're going to make assessments this morning, and I think that'll give us a good sense about the future for the rapidity of the power restoration," DeSantis said. He added: "We'll get everything back up and running and let people go on with their lives as soon as possible." In Houston County, Alabama, all roads stayed closed under a flash flood warning as downed trees and power lines made travel hazardous.
FILE PHOTO: Pensacola Beach, Florida, after Hurricane Dennis in 2005. (National Weather Service, public domain)
Tropical Storm Rachel Threatens Southern California
Meanwhile, moisture from Tropical Storm Rachel is forecast to bring heavy rain, flash flooding and high winds to Southern California, the Southwest and the Great Basin from late Saturday into Sunday, per NOAA's Weather Prediction Center.
Rachel is expected to come ashore in Mexico, then cross into California as a tropical storm or depression. Forecasters warn of life-threatening flash flooding in desert canyons and arroyos — terrain that rarely sees rain and can't absorb it.
A tropical-storm threat to Southern California is historically rare: the region's only official tropical-storm landfall came in 1939, and Hurricane Hilary in 2023 was the most recent near-miss. Meanwhile, Hurricane Simon in the Pacific may send rain into New Mexico and the Great Plains early next week.
FILE PHOTO: Pensacola Beach, Florida — near where Hurricane Isaias made landfall. (Public domain)
Why It Matters
The two deaths turned a storm-damage story into a human tragedy. They underscore a fact often lost in wind-speed debates: the hours after landfall are frequently the deadliest, as trees loosen in saturated soil and come down while people sleep. And with Rachel threatening the West Coast, America's storm emergencies are now stacking up.
What Happens Next
Isaias isn't done. Downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, its center sat about 50 miles south of Birmingham at 11 a.m. Eastern Time, with 35 mph sustained winds, moving north-northwest at 10 mph. It heads to the Tennessee Valley later Saturday, then turns northeast Sunday.
The tornado threat continues Saturday across the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and the Carolinas, shifting to eastern North Carolina, South Carolina and southeastern Virginia on Sunday. Expect 3 to 5 inches of rain — up to 6 to 10 inches in far western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina — per AccuWeather. Stay off the roads until officials give the all-clear. More at GlobalDeskNews.
Key Takeaways
- Two people died — the first confirmed Hurricane Isaias deaths — when falling trees struck homes in Escambia County, Florida, and Birmingham, Alabama.
- Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, at 8:30 p.m. CT Friday as a Category 2 with 105 mph sustained winds.
- Nearly 900,000 customers lost power Saturday morning across Alabama, Florida and Georgia; about 100,000 were restored by 10:30 a.m. ET.
- The storm is now post-tropical, centered about 50 miles south of Birmingham, with tornado and flooding threats continuing into Sunday.
- Isaias is the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026 and the first US landfall since Hurricane Milton — two years to the day.
- Tropical Storm Rachel could bring heavy rain and life-threatening flash flooding to Southern California late Saturday into Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people died in Hurricane Isaias?
Two deaths are confirmed — the storm's first. A woman in Escambia County, Florida, died late Friday night when a tree fell on her home. A person in Birmingham, Alabama, died early Saturday when a tree struck a home in the Huffman area.
Where did Hurricane Isaias make landfall?
Isaias came ashore near Destin, Florida, at 8:30 p.m. Central Time on Friday, October 9, as a Category 2 with 105 mph sustained winds — ending a two-year US hurricane drought. The last landfall was Hurricane Milton in October 2024, exactly two years to the day.
How many people are without power after Hurricane Isaias?
Nearly 900,000 customers lost power Saturday morning across Alabama, Florida and Georgia, per PowerOutage.us. USA Today's tracker at 10:51 a.m. ET listed Alabama at 283,869, Florida at 460,002 and Georgia at 116,230; about 100,000 were restored by 10:30 a.m.
Is Hurricane Isaias still dangerous?
Yes. Though post-tropical, Isaias still had 35 mph winds about 50 miles south of Birmingham at 11 a.m. ET Saturday. The tornado threat continues across the Panhandle, Georgia and the Carolinas on Saturday, shifting to eastern North Carolina and South Carolina on Sunday, with more rain expected.
What did officials say about the storm?
Governor Ron DeSantis said he was cautiously optimistic — no search-and-rescue requests came in, a sign of limited impact. His promise: "We'll get everything back up and running and let people go on with their lives as soon as possible." Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said it "hit like a freight train."
What is Tropical Storm Rachel?
Tropical Storm Rachel's moisture is forecast to bring heavy rain, flash flooding and winds to Southern California, the Southwest and the Great Basin from late Saturday into Sunday. After coming ashore in Mexico, it should cross into California as a tropical storm or depression, with flash flooding possible in desert canyons.
How historic is Hurricane Isaias?
Isaias is the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026 and the first US landfall since Hurricane Milton in October 2024 — two years to the day. Colorado State researcher Phil Klotzbach says it's only the fourth October hurricane to hit Florida since 2000, after Wilma, Michael and Milton.
Related Coverage
- Hurricane Isaias Makes Landfall in Florida as Category 2 Storm
- Hurricane Isaias Aftermath: 594,000 Left Without Power
Sources
- USA Today — live updates: two dead after Isaias lashed the Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane.
- Reuters — "Isaias kills two, leaves thousands without power after landfall."
- The Wall Street Journal — "Two Dead After Isaias Crashes Into Gulf Coast."
- New York Post — freight-train quote from Lt. Gov. Jay Collins; evacuation figures.
- Fox Weather — coverage of the Birmingham, Alabama, death.