Our live coverage has ended, but you can follow Isaias’ path here.
Tropical Storm Isaias raced up the East Coast today. Here’s what you need to know about the storm’s destructive path:
As Tropical Storm Isaias continues to bear down along the East Coast, there are nearly 2.7 million customers from North Carolina to Connecticut without power, according to PowerOutage.US as of 2:45 p.m. ET.
Here’s a breakdown of impacted areas:
Note: PowerOutage.US updates their numbers approximately every 10 minutes.
Sal Aquilina had been hunkering down in his Brooklyn apartment, riding out Tropical Storm Isaias.
“Heard a giant crash, came out to see this,” he said in a video he took.
The building across his street collapsed. In the video, members of the New York City Fire Department are seen responding on scene.
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Tropical Storm Isaias is currently “racing north-northeastward across Eastern Pennsylvania into Southeastern New York,” according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast advisory.
The 2 p.m. ET update said strong winds, heavy rain and possible tornados are expected into New England.
Here’s the latest forecast of Isaias’ path:
Two people have been rescued from flash flood waters resulting from from Tropical Storm Isaias in Charles County, Maryland, according to a Fire and EMS official.
Bill Smith, Charles County volunteer fire and EMS public information officer, said 911 dispatch received a call at 8:45 a.m. ET Tuesday that at least one car had been swept off Brandywine Road during heavy rainfall and flash flooding over the Swanson Creek Bridge.
Smith said the Charles County Dive Team and Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department responded and were able to confirm two vehicles had been swept 15 to 75 feet off the road.
“One individual, a female, was hanging from tree limb and male was found on the roof of car,” Smith said. “An air boat from 10th District Fire Station arrived on scene and made gallant effort to get into the water and were successfully able to take male off car and return for female.”
Smith said there were no injuries and both people refused transport.
In addition to the flash flooding on Brandywine Road, Smith said there are also trees down and additional flooding on roads. He noted that the Charles County Fire Department and EMS has responded to between eight and 10 additional calls of people driving through swift water and requiring assistance.
“We continue to ask people not to do it but low and behold each time it flood, we have to go rescue people,” Smith said.
Where things stand in other parts of the state: Parts of Southern Maryland have seen at least one tornado, flash flooding, downed trees, and water rescues as well, Smith said.
St. Mary’s County experienced at least one tornado touchdown. Calvert County Public Information Officer Sarah Ehman told CNN Tuesday there was at least one suspected tornado touchdown in the county and reported power outages, downed trees and power lines, flooding, and water rescues.
Prince George’s County Public Information Officer Mike Yourishin reported typical storm damage and no fatalities.
No fatalities have been reported across the four Maryland counties that CNN has been in touch with as of Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Strong wind gusts are being measured around New York City this hour, with multiple metro airports reporting gusts from 60 to 70 mph.
While initial reports are always unofficial, these would be the strongest winds since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and could end up exceeding gusts experienced with that storm.
Here’s where some of the gusts were recorded:
Additionally, a 109-mph wind gust occurred at Long Beach Island, New Jersey, shortly before 11 a.m. ET. This was the result of a reported waterspout hitting the weather station.
Power outages are also climbing quickly, with more than 2 million customers without power, according to Poweroutages.us.
Several rail lines are suspended due to weather related, overhead wire and signal issues, New Jersey Transit tweeted today.
Read the tweet:
A second storm-related death has been confirmed in Bertie County, North Carolina, after a tornado touched down at a mobile home park overnight, according to a news release from the county.
The tornado touched down just after 2 a.m. ET at the Cedar Landing mobile home community in Windsor, North Carolina, the release stated.
Task force teams are on the ground assisting in the search and rescue efforts, the county said.
According to CNN affiliate WCTI, three people remain unaccounted for.
There are now more than a million customers without power from the strong winds and tornadoes associated with Isaias, according to PowerOutage.US.
New Jersey is currently the most impacted area with more than 325,000 customers impacted. Virginia is a close second, with nearly 300,000, followed by North Carolina, with nearly 230,000 and Maryland and Pennsylvania both over 100,000.
Strong storms, high winds and tornadoes will continue to impact the Northeast through the afternoon and into the evening, so that number will continue to grow.
More tornadoes are highly likely as Isaias continues to track through the Northeast Tuesday.
Most hurricanes and tropical storms are good at producing tornadoes because they cause a lot of vertical shear — or differences in wind direction and speed at different heights.
Tornadoes caused by hurricanes “are generally smaller, weaker, and shorter-lived than traditional tornadoes you see across Tornado Alley,” the wide stretch of the Midwest and southern Plains that frequently gets pummeled by twisters, says CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.
But they can spin up very quickly and with little warning.
It is good to be prepared and close a safe space when you are within a tornado watch. This way, when a warning is issued, you can get out of harm’s way.
Here are four tips four quick tornado safety tips that could save your life
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a lengthy advisory detailing steps the state is taking as Isaias gains traction on the US coast. Ahead of the storm, Covid-19 emergency operations centers have been coordinating with weather state response teams.
Here are some key details:
You can read more of the advisory here.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told reporters today that the entire state is under a flash flood watch in expectation of Tropical Storm Isaias.
Murphy said residents should expect wind gusts in excess of 40mph statewide, with winds up to 70mph possibly along the shore.
The state is also under a tornado watch, Murphy said. The governor warned that “many of hundreds of thousands of power outages” may result from the fast moving storm.
Jared Maples, head of the state’s Office of Homeland Security and preparedness, also warned New Jersey residents to be cautious of where they get their information.
“There is a real threat to disinformation and misinformation,” he said. “The disinformation campaigns are designed to sow discontent and to take advantage of emergencies as they happen.”
There is a car pulled trailer ban instituted on highways as of now, officials said.
New Jersey Transit is still operating as normal.
Tropical Storm Isaias is “moving rapidly across eastern Maryland,” according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast advisory.
The storm is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rainfall and possible tornadoes as it continues to move northward.
Much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast remains under a tropical storm warning.
Here’s a look at the latest forecast for Isaias:
The Dover, Delaware mayor has issued a State of Emergency for the city – including asking individuals to stay in their homes and avoid unnecessary travel, according to verified social media for the police department.
The police are asking individuals to be mindful of downed wires as its taken numerous calls from throughout the city. The city of Dover serves over 38,000 people according to the latest census data.
Here is the full statement from the police:
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is warning residents to take precautions as the city prepares for heavy rain, high winds and flooding potential along with a threat of tornadoes.
The mayor said his most important message is “everyone take this very seriously.”
The storm has shifted to the west which means the strongest wind band will track right over New York City according to Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell.
The city will experience sustained 45-55 mph, which is up 10 mph from predictions Monday, and there are still gusts up to 70 mph expected between noon and 5 p.m. ET today.
While a tornado watch has been issued until 4 p.m. ET, Criswell said it’s likely tornado warnings will be issued and people should seek immediate cover away from window and move to lower floors. If you are in a high rise, which are common in parts of the city, go towards the inside of a building. People should not use elevators.
Coastal flood warnings have been issued for Staten Island, Brooklyn and southern Queens and coastal flood advisories issued for Manhattan and the Bronx.
Areas which often see tidal flooding on roads may see one to two feet of water above ground. Many of these areas are in Queens.
Eyewitness video taken by Anthony Brooks shows a tornado on the ground near Ocean City, New Jersey.
Around the time the video was taken, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning, saying trained spotters had seen a tornado near Ocean City.
WARNING: The video below contains some profanity.
As tropical storm Isaias continues to bear down along the East Coast, there are more than 737,000 customers this morning without power from North Carolina to New Jersey, according to PowerOutage.US as of 9:45 a.m. ET.
Here is a breakdown of the impacted areas:
Note: PowerOutage.US updates their numbers approximately every 10 minutes
CNN affiliate WRAL spoke with Bertie County Sheriff John Hadley, who says the devastation there is the worst he’s ever seen in his 38 years working in the county.
“Emergency personnel is still assessing the scene,” the Bertie County government wrote on Facebook.
They went on to confirm reports that a tornado touched down in the Morning Road area of Windsor, North Carolina earlier this morning.
Aerial video taken by WRAL shows an extensive debris field where they say a mobile home park once stood:
WRAL reports that the storm fatality in North Carolina is in Bertie County and that several are still missing after the tornado hit.
Tropical Storm Isaias is traveling up the US East Coast today, and New York City is forecast to see the storm’s peak between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET.
Forecast winds in New York City could be the strongest the city has seen since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Gusts are expected to reach 60 to 70 mph.
“The wind and flooding impacts from Isaias will be similar to what the city has seen from some of the strongest coastal storms,” such as nor’easters, Ross Dickman, the meteorologist-in-charge at the NWS office in New York, said.
“But we haven’t seen one this strong in many years,” he added.
