Hurricane Isaias Kills Four on US Gulf Coast

According to NPR, the Atlantic has not had such a late first hurricane in more than 100 years, because a powerful "Super El Niño" weather pattern in the Pacific has made it harder for storms to form. The Gulf of Mexico, however, has stayed unusually warm, and warm water gives storms the energy and moisture they need to grow; warmer seas are also linked to human-caused climate change. Ahead of the storm, Alabama, Florida and Georgia declared states of emergency, and thousands of people were ordered to evacuate. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told residents to "assume you're going to lose power" and stressed that rising water is often deadlier than wind: "You hide from the wind, but you run from the water."

Although Isaias weakened into a post-tropical storm within hours, officials warned that the danger was not over. Flash floods were expected, with 4 to 8 inches of rain in parts of Alabama, Florida and Georgia and up to 15 inches in places, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned of flooding in the Carolinas and Georgia as the storm moved north-east. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said officials feared tornadoes triggered by the storm, while Florida officials had rescued people from vehicles trapped in floodwater. Meanwhile, two more storms were threatening North America from the Pacific: Hurricane Simon, a Category 4 storm, was approaching Mexico's coast, and Tropical Storm Rachel was expected to hit southern California.