Hurricane Isaias left more than 301,000 Florida customers without electricity on October 9, 2026. Powerful winds, heavy rain, and a destructive storm surge severely damaged power infrastructure across the Florida Panhandle. The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a dangerous Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.
Severe Outages Impact Multiple Florida Counties
Data from PowerOutage.us shows that Escambia County recorded the highest number of power outages during the storm, with more than 103,000 customers affected. Severe outages also hit neighboring communities across the region. Walton County reported 53,986 outages, Santa Rosa County had 42,420 outages, Okaloosa County saw 41,905 outages, and Bay County recorded 18,064 outages.
Utility providers rushed to assess and respond to the widespread grid damage. Florida Power and Light (FPL) and the Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative deployed repair crews as blackouts spread across multiple counties. FPL reported customer outages across several specific areas, including:
- Okaloosa County: 17,040 customers
- Bay County: 11,150 customers
- Walton County: 3,650 customers
- Washington County: 2,480 customers
- Holmes County: 550 customers
- Jackson County: 90 customers
Emergency Preparations and State Response
Before landfall, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents that extensive power outages and dangerous, life-threatening conditions were imminent. State officials mobilized 16,000 utility workers, more than 1,400 generators, and thousands of emergency personnel. These teams staged across the region for immediate deployment once weather conditions stabilized.
Extreme wind warnings, flash flood emergencies, and coastal evacuation orders remained in effect throughout the Florida Panhandle and parts of the Gulf Coast as recovery and power restoration operations began.
