The storm is knocking out power over wide areas.
With storm-force winds extending out 140 miles from its center and sustained winds of 70 m.p.h. near its core, Isaias
As of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time, about 245,000 utility customers in eastern North Carolina and another 305,000 in Virginia, mainly in the Tidewater region and the Delmarva Peninsula, were without power, according to Poweroutage.us, a website that tracks and aggregates reports from utilities. Outages were spreading across southern New Jersey, affecting 175,000 customers, and more than 200,000 customers in Maryland, Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania were blacked out.
Storms can disrupt power in a number of ways. Strong wind gusts can sometimes snap cables and poles directly, though utilities try to build and maintain their infrastructure to be wind-resistant. Often the culprit is a broken tree limb or debris from a building that strikes a power line, or a skidding vehicle hitting a pole. Lightning strikes can damage equipment, and so can wind-driven rain or flash floodwaters.
Downed power lines can remain dangerous even when the lights nearby seem to be out, and wet conditions add to the danger. Utility companies like Dominion Energy warn the public to stay at least 30 feet away, and not to attempt to move them.