October 11, 2026
Isaias Recovery Sunday: FPL Targets Monday for 95% of Power, Shoal River at Crestview Crests Tonight
FPL says it aims to restore 95% of affected Panhandle customers by the end of Monday. The Shoal River near Crestview is forecast to crest in moderate flood this evening, while Mossy Head, Baker and Milton gauges are falling.
Florida Power & Light said Saturday night that crews had restored more than 98,000 customers across the Florida Panhandle and that it is targeting the end of Monday, Oct. 12, to restore 95% of customers affected by Hurricane Isaias. As of 7:30 PM Saturday, FPL still showed 122,830 customers out in Escambia County, 78,590 in Santa Rosa and 44,740 in Okaloosa. FPL says homes with storm damage may need a licensed electrician to make repairs before power can be safely restored. In Escambia County, ECUA issued a boil-water notice after uprooted trees broke water lines, according to the Pensacola News Journal. At least four deaths have now been tied to Isaias: two in Escambia County, Florida, and two in Alabama, according to officials cited by ABC News and the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network.
River flooding is the main water threat left in the western Panhandle. The National Weather Service says the Shoal River near Crestview was at 10.7 feet at 4:15 AM CDT Sunday and is forecast to crest near 14.0 feet this evening, in moderate flood. At 14 feet, NWS says residential flooding occurs in the Trevor Court area. The river is expected to fall below flood stage early Tuesday afternoon. Upstream, the Shoal River near Mossy Head, which crested in major flood near 22.5 feet Saturday, had dropped to about 15.2 feet by Sunday morning. The Blackwater River near Baker and Big Coldwater Creek near Milton have also crested and are falling. Farther east, NWS forecasts the Choctawhatchee River near Caryville to reach minor flood stage later this week.
The federal emergency declaration President Trump approved for 27 Florida counties pays for emergency protective measures. Help for individual homeowners and renters would require a separate major disaster declaration, which the state would request after damage assessments. In the tropics, the National Hurricane Center's 8 AM EDT outlook shows no systems threatening the U.S. Its only Atlantic area is a disorganized low near the Cabo Verde Islands, with a 20% chance of development.
If water got into your home or business, take photos for your insurance claim and start drying out as soon as it is safe. Florida Restoration Specialists does water extraction and drying in Lakeland and across Polk County. Call (863) 588-6617.
Sources: FPL: 95% restoration target by end of day Monday, Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County recovery after Isaias, ABC News: Isaias live updates, FPREN: Hurricane Isaias by the numbers, NWS Shoal River near Crestview gauge, NWS Shoal River near Mossy Head gauge, NWS Choctawhatchee River at Caryville gauge, NWS active Florida alerts, FEMA: Emergency declaration for Florida, NHC Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook.
