Hurricane Isaias peeled off hotel and condominium rooftops and facades along the Florida Panhandle before charging north Saturday, dishing out torrential rains and the threat of flash floods and tornadoes across the Southeast.

Two people were killed when trees fell onto homes in Florida and Alabama, and nearly 700,000 customers were without power by midday in four states. Forecasters warned that flooding could stretch into the southern Appalachians.

More than 726,000 people in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle have been left without power on Saturday after Hurricane Isaias crashed into the US Gulf Coast.

The storm made landfall Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, then quickly moved north through Alabama as its wind speeds dropped sharply, weakening to a post-tropical cyclone, the US National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

But residents are bracing for flooding and gusty winds in Isaias’ aftermath as authorities warned of the potential for tornadoes.

The storm is expected to continue weakening but produce gusty winds well inland as the possibility of life-threatening storm surges still looms for parts of the Florida Panhandle.

It will travel northwards across Alabama and over the Tennessee Valley later on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters also warned that conditions could stir up tornadoes across parts of the Florida Panhandle and into Georgia and the Carolinas.

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. Hurricane-force winds lashed the Gulf shoreline in the low-lying coastal area known for powdery white-sand beaches dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars, and seafood shacks.

“The storm is here. Buckle down at this point. Don’t be getting out on the roads,” Florida governor Ron DeSantis said Friday.

Roads in Destin were flooded, while in nearby Pensacola, police warned residents to stay off the streets because of debris across roadways. While the extent of the damage was not immediately known, many area residents posted pictures online of downed trees and power lines, and one social media video showed a roof being ripped off an inn in Pensacola.

Some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response Friday night because of dangerous conditions.

Parts of southern Alabama also were flooded, with officials in Mobile reporting downed trees and power lines. Roads in Houston County, which is in the southeastern corner of the state, were closed because of similar conditions.

More than 726,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power early Saturday, according to poweroutage.com.

Despite weakening, heavy rain is forecast as Isaias moves inland, with 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) or even more expected through the weekend from southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwest Georgia.

Isaias, the first hurricane to hit the eastern US since Milton tore up the Gulf Coast of Florida in 2024, is also expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding to much of the Southeast over the weekend, then to parts of the Midwest and Northeast into Monday.

The storm also grounded most Friday flights at several panhandle airports, including all flights into and out of Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, scrapped his plans to attend Saturday’s football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He said he didn’t want to disrupt emergency response efforts.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Simon strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane as it approached Mexico’s coast.

Tropical Storm Rachel was also expected to bring heavy winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend.

— with Associated Press