Hurricane Isaias downgraded after Florida landfall as remnants head north

Hurricane Isaias has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone after hitting Florida's northern Gulf Coast with 105 mph winds, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without power across three states as its remnants move north towards New England.

The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, at 9:30 p.m. EST on Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, having weakened slightly from a Category 3 system shortly before coming ashore. Isaias is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, which was delayed by El Niño conditions in the Pacific Ocean. It marks the first time in more than 30 years that an Atlantic hurricane failed to form before October.

Power cuts and mandatory evacuations

Power outages spread rapidly across Florida, Alabama and Georgia after Isaias swept inland on Friday night, prompting governors in all three states to declare states of emergency. Mandatory evacuations were enforced in Florida's coastal communities, while Alabama Governor Kay Ivey ordered mandatory evacuations for all non-residents, tourists and visitors in key affected counties. Florida Senator Rick Scott warned residents in designated zones to leave immediately.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that federal emergency declarations were approved for Florida and Alabama to release emergency resources.

Although the National Hurricane Center discontinued all remaining coastal storm warnings on Saturday morning, the system continues to push north across Alabama and into the Tennessee Valley.

College football and NFL disruptions

The storm caused widespread disruption to college football fixtures across the Southeast on Saturday. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where the University of Alabama hosted Georgia, broadcast crews were forced to move the College GameDay set indoors because of heavy rain and gusty winds. Scattered showers and windy conditions also threatened tailgaters at college matchups in Nashville, Lexington, Gainesville and Atlanta.

As the storm system shifts further north and east on Sunday, meteorologists expect rain to affect several NFL games, including tailgates in Miami, Nashville, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, New York and Boston.

Massachusetts rain forecast

The remnants of Isaias are projected to reach southern New England by late Sunday afternoon. According to StormTeam 5 Chief Meteorologist Cindy Fitzgibbon, clouds will increase across Massachusetts during Sunday morning, with rain arriving around 4 p.m. EST.

Rain is expected to intensify on Sunday evening before clearing rapidly on Monday morning. Meteorologists forecast rainfall totals between half an inch and an inch across Massachusetts, with the heaviest precipitation falling south of the Massachusetts Turnpike. While widespread flooding is unlikely due to the fast-moving nature of the system, forecasters warned that leaf-clogged drainage systems could cause minor street flooding.