Hurricane Isaias approaches U.S. Gulf Coast as states declare emergencies

Power outages spread across five states as evacuations get underway

Tropical-storm-force winds reached the Florida Panhandle and parts of Alabama and Georgia on Friday as Hurricane Isaias closed in on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Emergency responders and residents across the region braced for the storm’s arrival, with landfall projected as early as 9 p.m. EDT.

Ivey declared a state of emergency for 40 Alabama counties through Wednesday, writing on X that the declaration “will allow us to take any needed steps ahead of landfall.” She urged residents to “make sure you have reliable information as conditions develop” as the weekend approached.

DeSantis said “now is the time to finalize your plans,” telling Florida residents who were not evacuating to “make sure you have everything you need to shelter in place.” Dozens of counties in Florida and Alabama were under mandatory evacuation orders by Friday, with hardware stores reporting emptied aisles as customers made final preparations.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, whose state lies outside the storm’s immediate path, warned residents to “prepare, don’t panic.” He urged residents to “make sure you are signed up for local emergency alerts, prepare an emergency kit in case you lose power, and do not drive through flooded roads,” and added: “Take care of your loved ones, and check on your neighbors too.”

Power outages were reported across five states. Florida recorded 11,600 customers without power, followed by 10,400 in Louisiana, 7,250 in Alabama, 1,800 in Mississippi and 1,500 in Georgia.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the hurricane “could affect travel in the Gulf Coast and Southeast through the weekend,” adding that travelers “may experience delays and cancellations as we work to get you to your destination safely.”

Trump said he would not attend Saturday’s University of Alabama vs. University of Georgia game in Tuscaloosa. “Based on the fact that a huge Hurricane/Storm is coming, it is important to have our wonderful First Responders, Law Enforcement, and others, focused on that Storm, and in no way be thinking about the safety, or presence, of the President of the United States, ME!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added: “Therefore, I will miss that potentially unbelievable Game, Alabama vs. Georgia but, hopefully, the Game will go on despite the weather!”

In Alabama’s Gulf Shores, the beach community was largely deserted as residents evacuated. The local Waffle House — a chain known for remaining open through most natural disasters — closed Friday morning.

The storm’s effects reached beyond its forecast path. In Mississippi, streets emptied and local businesses shut down, even though the hurricane’s center remained well to the east. “Today is a bust, which is weird because the hurricane is nowhere near,” Echo Bond, a local business owner, told The New York Times.