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Good morning!
Okaloosa County has lifted evacuation orders for Zones A and B, and Okaloosa Island’s water and sewer systems are working. FPL is on track to restore power in Okaloosa by the end of the day Monday, and county schools will remain closed Monday and Tuesday, with reopening expected Wednesday. Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox says Isaias came ashore “smack in the middle of Destin,” but damage varied widely. Plus, Gov. DeSantis’ update from Okaloosa Island, the airport reopening, WM resuming trash collection, and today’s weather outlook.
WEATHER
Hurricane Isaias came ashore ‘smack in the middle of Destin,’ but damage varied widely, Maddox says
The eyewall of Hurricane Isaias came ashore in the middle of Destin as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, Okaloosa Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox said Sunday.
“We did get hit by a Category 2, 105 mile-an-hour max-sustained storm, smack in the middle of Destin,” Maddox said during a county livestream. “That’s where the eyewall came ashore.
The storm quickly degraded as it moved forward, Maddox said, and its effects were not the same across Okaloosa County.
“The south end of the county, in some areas you would drive through and say it really wasn’t that bad, while the north end of the county might have catastrophic damage,” he said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis described a similar pattern across the region at a press conference later Sunday in Milton. He said Isaias made landfall Friday night as “basically a strong Category 2 storm” and that wind shear changed where its strongest winds were felt.
“Because of the wind shear, you had this interesting dynamic where there was like a jet stream that went northwest,” DeSantis said. “So the storm entered in Okaloosa County. A lot of the real significant gusts were in Santa Rosa and in northeastern Escambia, and you see that with some of the damage and some of the debris.”
DeSantis said he saw significant damage in Santa Rosa County and other places to the northwest of where the storm entered, including structural damage, wind damage to roofs and many fallen trees.
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WEATHER
DeSantis, Okaloosa officials give update from Okaloosa Island after Hurricane Isaias landfall
Gov. Ron DeSantis joined state and local officials Saturday at The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island for an update after Hurricane Isaias made landfall Friday night as a Category 2 storm. DeSantis said two storm-related deaths had been confirmed, including one in Escambia County, and urged residents never to run generators indoors.
Officials said downed trees slowed power restoration and warned that rivers, including the Shoal River, were still rising.
Attorney General James Uthmeier asked residents to report price gouging at myfloridalegal.com. Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Larry Keefe, who was raised in Okaloosa County, warned anyone trying to take advantage of the storm that they had “picked the wrong place.”
“We are very blessed in Okaloosa County. It could’ve been a lot worse,” said Okaloosa County Chairman Trey Goodwin.
PUBLIC SAFETY
FPL on track to restore power in Okaloosa by end of day Monday, revises estimate for Santa Rosa and Escambia
Florida Power & Light expects to essentially finish restoring power in Okaloosa County by the end of the day Monday, Oct. 12, the company said in a release issued Sunday.
FPL said it has restored power to essentially all customers in Bay, Washington, Holmes, Walton and Jackson counties.
The company revised its estimate for Santa Rosa and Escambia counties. Most customers there are expected to come back on Monday, with the remaining customers in the hardest-hit portions of those counties coming online Tuesday, Oct. 13, according to FPL.
As of early Monday morning, 3,100 FPL customers in Okaloosa County remained without power, according to the company’s outage data. FPL has restored 82,380 of the 85,480 Okaloosa customers affected by the storm, about 96%.
In Walton County, 1,200 FPL customers were without power and 25,310 had been restored, out of 26,510 affected.
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Your family physicians. Still serving this community.
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Thank you for the privilege and honor of allowing us to care for you and your families over the years. Serving the Fort Walton Beach community has been one of the most rewarding experiences of our careers.
We are pleased to share some good news: we are still practicing and continuing to serve the community.
Dr. John E. Loudermilk has cared for patients in the area since 2021, and Dr. Chris G. Pappas has since 2012. Together, we are excited to welcome patients to our new MDVIP-affiliated practice, a personalized family medicine clinic located at 4608 Opa-Locka Lane, Suite 300, in Destin, FL.
Whether you’ve been a patient for years or are looking for a new healthcare home, we’d love the opportunity to care for you. Schedule a free meet-and-greet to learn more about our patient-centered approach to medicine by calling 850.904.4940 or visiting mdvip.com/DestinDocs.
TRAVEL
Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport reopens after Hurricane Isaias
Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport is open, effective immediately, the airport announced Saturday.
Flight schedules have changed following Hurricane Isaias, according to the airport. Travelers should monitor their flight status and confirm the latest information directly with their airline before traveling to the airport.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Okaloosa lifts evacuation orders for Zones A and B, Okaloosa Island water and sewer systems are working
Okaloosa County has lifted the evacuation orders for residents in Zones A and B and for visitors previously identified in evacuation orders, the county announced Sunday.
The orders covered Okaloosa Island and coastal areas in Niceville, Destin and Fort Walton Beach. Conditions have improved to allow safe travel in the affected evacuation areas, according to the county. Residents and visitors should remain cautious while moving through neighborhoods to avoid downed power lines and existing debris, the county said.
Water and sewer systems on Okaloosa Island are up and working, according to a water service alert Okaloosa County issued Sunday. People on the island are asked to continue with water conservation measures.
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SCHOOL
Okaloosa County schools to remain closed Monday and Tuesday, reopening expected Wednesday
All Okaloosa County schools and district facilities will remain closed Monday, Oct. 12, and Tuesday, Oct. 13, due to ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Isaias, the Okaloosa County School District announced Sunday afternoon.
The district anticipates reopening schools and resuming normal operations on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: Sunny, with a high near 86. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
TONIGHT: Clear, with a low around 70. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
BUSINESS
WM to resume garbage and trash collection Monday after Hurricane Isaias
WM will resume garbage and trash collection services on Monday, Oct. 12, as road conditions safely allow, the company announced Sunday.
WM suspended all residential and commercial services in Okaloosa County and surrounding areas on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, because of Hurricane Isaias. That earlier announcement covered unincorporated Okaloosa County, the cities of Niceville, Destin and Mary Esther, Cinco Bayou and the Town of Shalimar.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Monday! Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
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Jared
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