The skies are clearing, but life is far from back to normal in some of the communities hit hardest by Hurricane Isaias.

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, Friday evening as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm tore through the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama before spreading flooding rain, damaging winds and tornadoes farther across the Southeast.

At least four deaths have been linked to the storm. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses lost power at the height of the outages, while downed trees, damaged buildings and flooded roads made it difficult for some residents to assess what was left behind.

Now, the focus is shifting from surviving the storm to cleaning up after it.

Where Did Isaias Cause the Most Damage?

Some of the most significant wind damage was reported across the western Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama.

Trees and power lines came down across the region, blocking roads and damaging homes. High winds also damaged infrastructure around Pensacola, including the city’s airport. In parts of Alabama, debris made roads impassable immediately after the storm.

Isaias did not stop causing problems once it moved inland. Heavy rain triggered flooding in the southern Appalachians, including western North Carolina, where overflowing rivers and landslides led to evacuations and water rescues.

The storm also produced several tornadoes across Georgia and South Carolina. Damage surveys will be needed to determine exactly how many tornadoes occurred and how strong they were.

More Than 140,000 Florida Customers Remain Without Power

Power restoration remains one of the biggest challenges.

More than 140,000 Florida homes and businesses were still without electricity Monday morning. Escambia, Santa Rosa and Walton counties reported some of the largest remaining outages.

That is a major improvement from the height of the storm, when outages stretched across Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. Still, restoring power can take longer in places where crews must remove trees, replace poles or wait for floodwater to recede.

If you live in the area, you should continue treating every fallen power line as live and avoid entering damaged or flooded buildings until local officials say it is safe.

Cleanup Weather Brings Some Good News and One Concern

The next few days should provide a much-needed break from the rain along the hardest-hit portion of the Gulf Coast.

Mostly sunny and dry weather is expected through Wednesday around Destin, Pensacola and Mobile. That should help crews clear debris, inspect damage and restore electricity.

The tradeoff is the heat. Afternoon temperatures could climb into the upper 80s and lower 90s, which may become dangerous for people doing strenuous cleanup work without air conditioning.

Take frequent breaks, drink water and check on neighbors who remain without power. 

You can follow changing temperatures and local conditions in the WeatherBug app before heading outside to clean up.

The Danger Does Not End When the Storm Does

Cleanup can bring a new set of hazards, especially while so many people remain without electricity.

Never use a generator inside a home, garage or enclosed space. The CDC recommends keeping generators outside and at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents because they produce odorless, deadly carbon monoxide.

Avoid floodwater, watch for unstable trees and leave major electrical or structural repairs to professionals. Anyone returning home should also keep an eye out for local boil-water notices, road closures and instructions from emergency officials.

Isaias may be off the weather map, but recovery will take much longer than the storm did to pass.

For a look back at how the threat developed before landfall, read our earlier Hurricane Isaias forecast.