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Hurricane Isaias damage guide

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph sustained winds on the night of Oct 9, 2026. Source: NPR Reporting describes a hotel roof torn off near Fort Walton Beach and storm surge breaching Destin, Source: CNN roofing torn from a Pensacola hotel, and power outages that initially reached nearly 900,000 customers across Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Source: PropertyCasualty360

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 storm on the night of Oct 9, 2026. Source: NPR I am Justen Newton, and I am on the ground in the Florida Panhandle. I worked Hurricane Michael in the Florida Panhandle in 2018 and was able to help a lot of people through it.

These pages are plain guides to what wind and surge do to buildings, what you can photograph yourself from the ground, and how cause is decided when a loss is disputed. For commercial properties in Florida I provide first-hour damage documentation, and for attorneys I give technical causation opinions. Homeowners can use the guides or call me to talk it through.

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On the ground in the Florida Panhandle. Graphic is an illustration, not live radar.

What I offer in Florida is damage documentation for commercial property owners and expert opinions for attorneys. Homeowners can use these guides or call me to talk it through. I do not hold a Florida or Alabama contractor license and offer no repair work; repairs go to a Florida-licensed contractor you choose, and you can verify any Florida license at myfloridalicense.com.

Florida law states:

The consumer is responsible for payment of any insurance deductible. It is insurance fraud punishable as a felony of the third degree for a contractor to knowingly or willfully, and with intent to injure, defraud, or deceive, pay, waive, or rebate all or part of an insurance deductible applicable to payment to the contractor for repairs to a property covered by a property insurance policy. It is insurance fraud punishable as a felony of the third degree to intentionally file an insurance claim containing any false, incomplete, or misleading information.

What the reporting says

Every figure below links to the outlet that reported it.

  • Landfall near Destin as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph sustained winds at landfall. Source: NPR Source: NBC News
  • The first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, with landfall near Destin around 8 to 8:30 p.m. CT on Oct. 9. Source: CBS News Source: Fox Weather
  • More than 500,000 power outages across Florida, Alabama and Georgia after landfall, per AccuWeather; Source: AccuWeather later reporting put outages above 600,000 across the Southeast, Source: Fox Weather and a later tally put the initial total near 900,000 across Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Source: PropertyCasualty360
  • Winds ripped the roof off a hotel near Fort Walton Beach, and storm surge breached Destin. This was the first U.S. hurricane landfall since October 2024. Source: CNN
  • Winds tore roofing from a Pensacola hotel, per AccuWeather and Fox Weather, with significant structural damage reports and toppled utility poles. Source: AccuWeather Source: Fox Weather
  • Storm surge was driven far east of the landfall center, under a broad wind field. Source: Yale Climate Connections
  • Forecast, not an observation: Fox 10 in Mobile warned that the strongest winds could cause substantial damage to trees and electrical infrastructure across portions of the Panhandle, and listed damaged roofs, exposed nails and hidden debris as hazards. Source: Fox 10

Start with the damage you have

Areas these guides cover

What I do, and what I do not

  • Commercial owners in Florida: I provide first-hour damage documentation, with photos, video, moisture readings and a written record of what was found and when.
  • Attorneys: I give technical opinions on what caused building damage.
  • Homeowners: these pages are guides. Call to talk it through.
  • I do not perform or arrange mitigation work such as tarping, shrink-wrap, board-ups or dry-out. Those are for your own licensed contractor.
  • I do not interpret insurance policies, advise on coverage, or adjust claims.
  • I am not an attorney. My opinions are technical, not legal.

Official resources

Resource links last checked October 16, 2026.

Questions, answered plainly

What did Hurricane Isaias do to the Florida Panhandle and the Alabama coast?

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph sustained winds on the night of Oct 9, 2026. Source: NPR Reporting describes a hotel roof torn off near Fort Walton Beach and storm surge breaching Destin, Source: CNN roofing torn from a Pensacola hotel, and power outages that initially reached nearly 900,000 customers across Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Source: PropertyCasualty360

Which page should I start with?

Start with the damage type if you know it: roof, siding or whole building. Commercial owners in Florida can read about first-hour documentation. Or pick your town from the list above.

Should I get on my roof to check?

No. Do not climb a damaged roof. From the ground, photograph what you can see, and follow local officials.

Do you do emergency repairs?

No. I do not perform or arrange tarping, shrink-wrap, board-ups or dry-out. Your own licensed contractor does that work. I document commercial properties in Florida from the first hour.

Who is this for?

Homeowners looking for plain information, commercial owners and managers in Florida who need first-hour documentation, and attorneys who need a technical opinion on cause.

Where did Hurricane Isaias make landfall?

Near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph sustained winds at landfall. Source: NPR It was the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, and landfall came around 8 to 8:30 p.m. CT on Oct. 9. Source: CBS News

Which cities do these Hurricane Isaias pages cover?

Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Santa Rosa Beach and 30A, and Panama City Beach in Florida, plus Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Mobile in Alabama. Each page sticks to what was reported for that place and says what was not.

Safety first, always

Do not climb a damaged roof. Stay clear of downed power lines, standing water and unstable structures, and follow guidance from local officials and FEMA.

For commercial owners in Florida I document damage, and in disputes I give technical opinions. Coverage questions go to your insurer, the Florida Department of Financial Services consumer helpline, or an attorney. I am not an attorney.

All Hurricane Isaias pages

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    Talk to Justen

    On the ground in the Florida Panhandle. Call 239-791-0646 or email contact@justennewton.com; calls and emails go to me directly.

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