Updated Aug 4, 2020 - Science

Isaias becomes post-tropical cyclone after deadly day on East Coast

A group of people stand around a fallen tree in the street — A downed tree in a Brooklyn neighborhood on Aug. 4 in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Isaias became a post-tropical cyclone as it moved into southeast Canada late Tuesday, after spending much of the day lashing the East Coast with heavy rain and spawning tornadoes, per a National Hurricane Center (NHC) update at 11 p.m.

The latest: The NHC warned tropical storm conditions were expected "for a few more hours" along portions of the New England coast. The storm that's killed at least six people and left over 3 million customers without power in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Delaware, Virginia and Maryland, per Poweroutage.us.

Fatalities: A tornado killed at least two people in North Carolina, per the New York Times. In Pennsylvania, one person died when their vehicle was "overtaken by water and swept downstream," AP notes.

In Mechanicsville, North Carolina, a driver died when a tree fell on their car, killing the driver, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office said, per Reuters. Another person died in New York City after a tree fell on a car in high winds, a local CBS station reported. In Delaware, one person died when "a tree branch fell on them," according to AP.

The big picture: Isaias weakened to a tropical storm early Tuesday after making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane late Monday. Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., Mayor Debbie Smith told WECT News the eye of the storm triggered "a series of fires at homes" and "a lot of flooding."

Isaias had dumped heavy rain on Florida's east coast while brushing past as a a tropical storm over the weekend.
It also battered the Bahamas and parts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic as a Category 1 hurricane on July 31.

Go deeper: In photos: Isaias lashes the East Coast

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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Isaias becomes post-tropical cyclone after deadly day on East Coast

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