Isaias is now a ‘major’ hurricane barreling toward northern Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 major hurricane with 120 mph sustained winds, tracking toward the northern Gulf Coast at 15 mph with landfall expected Friday night. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Florida Power & Light has mobilized 16,000 linemen and added Citrus and Levy counties to the state's emergency order, bringing the total to 27 counties. He told residents to assume they'll lose power and that rain bands could reach as far as Central Florida.

Pensacola Beach's water and sewer utility shut down ahead of the storm to prevent overflows, while Naval Air Station Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field and Eglin Air Force Base moved or evacuated aircraft and ordered some personnel and families to evacuate. At a west Pensacola Walmart, shelves emptied of bread, chips, lunch meat and canned goods, while toilet paper remained fully stocked.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.