As Isaias remains a Category 3, Gulf coast braces for impact; Alabama, Georgia game still on

Hurricane Isaias threatened Florida, Alabama and Mississippi with damaging winds, heavy rain and storm surge Friday as officials urged residents to finish preparations before an expected overnight landfall.The storm remained a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, according to a Friday afternoon update from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. Landfall was expected along the Florida Panhandle late Friday or early Saturday.
Florida: Panhandle power outages, road closures reported ahead of landfall
More than 16,000 Florida customers were without power Friday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us. Leon and Escambia counties, which include Tallahassee and Pensacola, respectively, accounted for the largest impacts as tropical-storm-force winds moved across parts of the Gulf Coast.
Road closures were reported Friday afternoon in the Florida Panhandle as the storm approached.
Traffic alerts updated at 4:27 p.m. listed all lanes closed in both directions on U.S. 98 between Baybridge Drive and 17th Avenue. Separate alerts listed closures on eastbound County Road 399 near Soundview Trail and westbound State Road 399 at Santa Rosa Sound.
The alerts identified emergency vehicles at those locations but did not provide additional details about the closures.
Gov. Ron DeSantis also urged residents to include pets in their evacuation plans, saying pet-friendly shelters are available and warning that animal mistreatment could lead to prosecution.
“You better treat them properly,” DeSantis said.
Florida’s Trooper’s Law, signed in 2025, makes restraining a dog outside during a natural disaster and then abandoning it a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The law followed the rescue of a dog left tied up in the path of Hurricane Milton.
Residents can check active evacuation orders at FloridaDisaster.org/Evacuation-Orders and identify their evacuation zones at FloridaDisaster.org/Know.
Alabama: Ivey warns of inland threats; football plans remain in place
Gov. Kay Ivey warned Friday afternoon that strong winds, heavy rain and possible tornadoes could threaten parts of Alabama, urging residents to monitor reliable information and heed local warnings.
“As we approach the weekend and any travel plans, make sure you have reliable information as conditions develop,” Ivey said in the state’s 4 p.m. situation update.
Ivey also issued a supplemental emergency proclamation on Friday, clarifying provisions that facilitate relief from certain federal trucking regulations, including driver hours-of-service requirements, for carriers providing storm-related supplies and services.
The proclamation says federal transportation officials requested the clarification before implementing a waiver. It excludes carriers operating under an out-of-service order.
About 13,000 customers in Mobile County were without power Friday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us, as tropical-storm-force winds began affecting the coast.
In Baldwin County, emergency officials urged residents and visitors to stay out of coastal waters because of dangerous surf and rip currents. Double red flags mean the water is closed, the county agency said.
Baldwin Regional Area Transit System, or BRATS, is offering rides to local shelters while conditions remain safe. Residents needing transportation can call 251-972-6817.
The storm also prompted changes surrounding Saturday’s Alabama-Georgia football game in Tuscaloosa, although kickoff remained scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central.
The Athletic reported that Southeastern Conference officials and both universities were continuing preparations for the game while assessing whether the storm would require a schedule change. Georgia still planned to travel Friday and spend the night in Birmingham.
President Donald Trump canceled his planned appearance at the game, a White House official told The Athletic. ESPN also announced that “College GameDay” would broadcast from inside Coleman Coliseum.
According to The Athletic, the decision to proceed could depend on storm conditions, damage and the availability of emergency personnel. Power outages, fallen trees and downed utility lines could create problems even after the storm moves through.
Mississippi: Shelters open as warnings stretch inland
Mississippi officials announced shelter openings in multiple southern counties Friday and urged residents to complete preparations before conditions deteriorated.
Parts of Jackson County were under a hurricane warning, while tropical storm warnings covered coastal areas and much of eastern Mississippi, extending north to Lee and Itawamba counties, according to MEMA.
The agency said it had distributed 4,000 sandbags in response to county requests and was coordinating with government agencies, volunteer organizations and private-sector partners.
MEMA Executive Director Stephen McCraney urged residents to fuel vehicles, secure outdoor belongings, charge electronic devices and maintain multiple ways to receive emergency alerts.
Residents should also have drinking water, nonperishable food, medications and important documents ready, he said.
“Know where you’ll go and how you’ll get there should the need to evacuate arise,” McCraney said.

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