Dry weather aids Isaias recovery across the South
Dry weather will bring a break for communities cleaning up after Isaias across the South.
Crews are working nonstop to get businesses back up and running after damage from Hurricane Isaias.
Days after Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a 105-mph Category 2 storm, communities across the Southeast continue to recover from destructive winds and flooding rainfall. In the wake of Isaias, dry weather is expected to continue to support cleanup efforts in the hardest-hit areas of the South much of this week.
Isaias' impacts linger across the South
Communities near Pensacola Beach, Florida, were among the hardest hit, with destructive winds tearing roofs from homes, overturning vehicles and extensively damaging buildings. A 117-mph wind gust was reported near Oriole Beach, Florida. Infrastructure damage prompted boil-water advisories in several communities.
As of Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of thousands of utility customers had their power restored, but nearly 60,000 remained in the dark in the hardest-hit and most remote areas. Downed trees and power lines will disrupt travel and slow recovery efforts for several days as crews work to clear debris and restore power.
The top floor of a Pensacola Beach home was ripped off by Hurricane Isaias's powerful winds. (Image: Bill Wadell)
Heavy rain caused significant flooding along the central Gulf Coast and across parts of Alabama and Mississippi as the storm moved inland. The highest reported rainfall total was 12.97 inches in Bellwood, Alabama, though a few spots may have had higher rainfall totals. In the hardest-hit communities, floodwaters could remain elevated for several days, prolonging road closures and delaying recovery efforts, particularly in low-lying areas.
Dry weather to support storm recovery across the Southeast
A stretch of drier weather will provide communities across the Southeast with favorable conditions for cleanup and recovery efforts following Isaias. Little to no rainfall is expected across the region, allowing crews to clear debris and restore electricity, a welcome change from the weekend.
Stream and river levels are generally falling across the region. However, some of the rivers just above sea level in the Florida Panhandle continue to rise or will remain above flood stage into the end of the week. These include the Yellow and Choctawhatchee rivers.
A warming trend is also expected through midweek, with high temperatures reaching the upper 80s to lower 90s. The increasing heat could pose additional challenges for residents without air conditioning as crews work to restore power.
Rain from the next storm brewing over the Rockies and Plains may struggle to reach the region through this weekend.
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