Hurricane Isaac reaches Florida
Hurricane Isaias reached Florida on Friday evening, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, which warned of strong winds and flooding in its path.
The latest report from the National Hurricane Center stated that “Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida,” warning of “hazardous conditions and flash flooding in inland areas.”
The center noted that the storm, with winds reaching 165 kilometers per hour, had intensified into a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Strong winds preceded the hurricane in Pensacola and its surrounding areas in Florida, tearing off roofs of some homes and stores, according to a France Press reporter.
Jonathan Ramos, 40, told France Press in Pensacola, “We see trees bending, branches falling, objects flying around at high speed. I’ve never experienced winds this strong before. It’s terrifying.”
Isaias is the first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1, but it arrived unusually late, partly attributed to the El Niño climate phenomenon.
El Niño significantly alters atmospheric circulation, suppressing hurricane formation in the Atlantic while enhancing it in the Pacific, where three Category 5 hurricanes have been recorded this year.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during a press conference, “We are taking this hurricane very seriously,” predicting “significant damage” in the northwestern coastal region of the state.
President Donald Trump canceled a planned visit to neighboring Alabama, where he was expected to attend an American football game.
Weather forecasts predict that Isaias will weaken after making landfall, but authorities have urged residents to remain cautious of the risks.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Isaias disrupted oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to the evacuation of workers from platforms and drilling rigs.
According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, approximately 63 percent of oil production operations in the area were suspended by Thursday, removing about 1.3 million barrels per day from the market.
The agency added that about 57 percent of gas production operations were also halted.
Chevron and Shell suspended production at several sites in the Gulf.
El Niño represents the warm phase of a natural climate cycle in the equatorial Pacific Ocean known as the Southern Oscillation-El Niño, which recurs every two to seven years.
