Hurricane Isaias bears down on US Gulf Coast
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GULF BREEZE, Fla. (AP) -- Intensifying winds whipped palm trees and thundering waves crashed along the beaches of the Florida Panhandle and Alabama on Friday as Hurricane Isaias swirled just offshore, picking up speed as it charged toward the U.S. Gulf Coast.
The storm weakened slightly to a Category 2 as the first hurricane of an unusually quiet Atlantic season. Forecasters reported landfall was likely over the western panhandle near the Pensacola area.
“Things are going to get really, really treacherous over the next couple hours,” said Jamie Rhome, deputy director for the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters warned of a significant storm surge, damaging winds, flooding and possibly even tornadoes before the storm loses steam as it moves inland and delivers strong winds and rain well north into Atlanta.
Wind gusts up to hurricane strength began to lash the Gulf shoreline in the early evening, hours before Isaias was expected to come ashore in the low-lying coastal area known for powdery white sand beaches that are dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars and seafood shacks.
In Mobile, Alabama, officials reported downed trees and power lines, while Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, which serves parts of Florida, issued a boil-water notice for its customers.
More than 365,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power Friday evening, according to poweroutage.com.
A hurricane warning was in place from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the western Florida Panhandle. Several counties announced mandatory evacuations while Mobile, Alabama, imposed a curfew beginning Friday evening until morning.
Residents in Panama City, Florida, braved the rain while filling sandbags Friday to protect their houses.
“I mean, it’s just the nature of the beast. It’s Florida,” said Corliss Stone, who works for the fire department.
One of the biggest concerns is a storm surge that could be as high as 6 to 9 feet, according to the hurricane center. Places most at risk include Florida’s Pensacola Beach and the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Isaias was expected to miss the oil industry’s biggest hubs along the Gulf Coast, but fuel prices could rise if power outages shut down refineries for processing crude, industry experts said.