The storm is over for the United States although some flooding from rivers might continue during the night Tuesday.

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES:

W. Craig Fugate, a former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said his biggest concern this hurricane season is that coastal residents will stay home to avoid the coronavirus even if they face a real storm surge risk.

“We often talk about evacuations, and we don’t really clarify why we’re evacuating,” he said. “People drown. And we don’t say that.”

“Covid is scary,” added Mr. Fugate, a Florida resident who once ran the state’s division of emergency management. “For a lot of people, they’re thinking, ‘You know, evacuation, maybe that’s not so critical.’ We need to be clear and precise: The reason we do evacuations is drownings.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/us/isaias-storm-updates.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage#link-536a9c31

The storm took an unexpected westward swing Tuesday, moving it through eastern Pennsylvania and upstate New York. On this course, the coastal areas of New York, Connecticut and Maine will be spared tropical force winds and storm surge. The storm is predicted to move into Canada and die out as a tropical depression by Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

NOW THAT ISAIAS IS OVER LAND AND, AS OF MONDAY NIGHT, AT HURRICANE STRENGTH, HERE ARE SOME CAUTIONS:  

1. DON'T GO OUTSIDE during high winds unless some emergency, like flooding, prevents you from staying indoors. Big tree branches can come down, objects from the ground or on roof tops can become flying missiles.

2, POWER LINES WILL COME DOWN, another reason not to go outside. The power lines will be charged with electricity at first and can kill, especially if they or you are in water or wet at the time. If you and your car should encounter a power line, you are safe as long as you stay in the car. If you attempt to get out of the car, you can be electrified when your foot hits the ground. There is no safe way to exit a car that has contact with a live wire.

3. If you have time before the high winds arrive, look around your house, inspecting the trees. If you have a lot of trees and they have not be punned or otherwise cared for, try to stay in the part of your house farthest away from the trees or big tree branches. If you have a multi story house, it is better to sleep on the first floor than higher floors if you have trees around the house.

4. When the winds stop, don't go outside immediately, jump in your car and go look around. Hurricanes have a central eye around which the storm rotates and you could be in that eye. Otherwise, just wait before going out. Extra care is called for in every stage of a storm, before, during and after.

5. Repairs? You might want to go out and get busy, but, again, wait until you are sure it is safe, there are no power lines down on your property and the wind portion is definitely past.

6. If you have to go out and drive to check on a relative, etc., be extra cautious around high water on the roads and streets. Is the water flowing rapidly? Is there anyway to tell how deep it is? Is there a point where water appears to be running in a hole because the road has been washed away? All of these are reasons not to chance it. 

7. Tornadoes are a danger with hurricanes as the storm moves across the land. Be aware of this danger and consider it another reason not to venture out. A "rain wrapped" tornado can catch you completely by surprise.

8. If you are. in poorly constructed house, in a low lying area subject to flooding, particularly in an area where storm surge is expected, in a house surrounded by trees or in a mobile home, give serious consideration to moving to a shelter if you have time before the storm moves through your area. Once the storm starts, it is generally inadvisable to try to move.

Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston are all in the forecast track for tropical storm force winds and rains during the next few days.

The winds in the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and New York are expected to be tropical force winds with gusts to hurricane strength. This does not mean the danger is over. Indeed, a lower level storm can be more dangerous if people take their safety for granted and venture out during the storm

The reporters and weather people who see standing out in the high winds on television are most often on beaches and in the cover of an over hang at a hotel. Because they face the ocean, they are unlikely to be hit by flying debris. Inland, even by one or two blocks, the story is different. Heavy materials can come off buildings and kill.

CATEGORY ONE: winds sustained above 74 to 95 mph Very dangerous winds will produce some damage: Well-constructed frame homes could have damage to roof, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters. Large branches of trees will snap and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled. Extensive damage to power lines and poles likely will result in power outages that could last a few to several days.