Gulf Breeze, Florida: Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain to the US Gulf Coast, with forecasters warning of dangerous storm surges, flooding and possible tornadoes.
The storm came ashore as a Category 2 hurricane, with sustained winds of 105 mph (169 kph), after strengthening to Category 3 earlier in the day, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
More than 365,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power on Friday evening, while officials warned residents about possible fuel shortages, road closures and further disruption.
The NHC warned that storm surges could reach 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 metres) in vulnerable coastal areas, including Pensacola Beach and the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Residents along the Gulf Coast stocked up on fuel, filled bathtubs with water and secured their homes as the hurricane approached. In Panama City, Florida, people filled sandbags to protect their properties from flooding.
Anne Petzold, who lives with her husband in Gulf Breeze, said they had installed hurricane shutters, cleared objects from their yard and prepared generators in case electricity supplies failed.
Neighbour Jay Brazzell, 69, said he planned to stay home, having experienced several hurricanes before.
Dangerous conditions were expected across Florida's western Panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi. Several counties ordered mandatory evacuations, while Mobile, Alabama, imposed a curfew from Friday evening until Saturday morning.
Dozens of Waffle House restaurants in the Florida Panhandle also closed. The Southern breakfast chain is known for keeping many outlets open during severe weather, making closures an informal indicator of the seriousness of a storm.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned of possible power outages, fuel shortages and the closure of bridges and highways. The state's National Guard deployed about 5,000 personnel to assist with the response.
Isaias was expected to weaken as it moved inland, potentially becoming a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon. However, forecasters warned that heavy rainfall could continue across the region.
Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimetres), or more in some areas, were forecast through the weekend across southern Alabama and southwestern Georgia. The storm was also expected to bring flooding risks to other parts of the southeastern United States, with its effects potentially extending into the Midwest and Northeast by Monday.
The hurricane disrupted air travel across the Florida Panhandle, grounding most Friday flights at several airports, including all flights to and from Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport.
US President Donald Trump cancelled plans to attend a Saturday football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, saying he did not want to disrupt emergency operations.
Isaias was expected to miss the Gulf Coast's biggest oil-industry hubs, but disruptions to offshore production and refinery operations raised concerns about possible pressure on fuel prices.
Reuters reported that US producers had shut in about 1.5 million barrels per day of oil production and 1.3 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico as the storm approached. The shutdowns represented nearly 72% of the region's oil output and 59% of its natural gas production.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hurricane Simon strengthened to Category 2 on Friday and was expected to intensify further before approaching Mexico. Tropical Storm Rachel was also forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend.
(With inputs from Associated Press, Reuters)