Coastal storms across North America cause deaths, power loss and widespread flooding

Over the weekend, North America faced three severe weather systems. Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida as a Category 2 storm, forcing evacuations across the Florida Panhandle and parts of Alabama, killing four people—including Jennifer Williams, who was killed when a tree collapsed onto her home—and leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. The storm continued northward, delivering heavy rain, landslides, and at least 22 tornadoes across the central Appalachians, the Mid-Atlantic and North Carolina, while boil-water advisories persisted.

At the same time, Hurricane Simon, a Category 3 cyclone, struck Mexico’s Pacific coast, delivering sustained winds of 120 mph and up to 8 inches of rain near Puerto Vallarta, with warnings extending from Playa Perula to Las Islas Marias. Finally, the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel spread across the western United States, flooding Las Vegas, coastal California and parts of the Southwest, prompting flash-flood watches and a coastal flood advisory in Southern California. Authorities are working to restore power, issue flood warnings and address travel disruptions caused by the storms.