A road is seen empty as the strong winds of Hurricane Isaias hit Pensacola, Florida. (AFP pic)PENSACOLA: Hurricane Isaias weakened to a Category 1 storm on Friday, rapidly lost wind speed after hitting the Florida coast, the US National Hurricane Center said while warning of storm surges and snapped power lines as it moves through the Deep South.

The hurricane, crossing the western Florida Panhandle after making landfall near Destin as a Category 2 storm, was about 105km west-northwest of Panama City, Florida, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kph, the NHC said in an advisory.

The centre warned of possible storm surges, urban and river flooding and flash floods across the region, with considerable impacts likely across much of southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle into southwest Georgia.