Isaias Kills 1 In NYC, Leaves Thousands Without Power

NEW YORK CITY – Tropical Storm Isaias roared into New York City with 70 mph winds and torrential rain Tuesday, killing at least one person and leaving thousands without power.

As the winds howled, the MTA shutdown all of its above ground subway service.

The storm arrived shortly after noon, packing the strongest winds the city has seen since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Fallen trees and debris littered the streets – Mayor Bill de Blasio estimated 2,000 trees had fallen. In Brooklyn, branches on tracks caused disruption on several subway lines. Soon after, the MTA declared that all above ground stations were being closed down, with train service operating only underground.

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"To keep everyone safe, we are suspending most outdoor service and will run underground-only subway service until the winds die down," the MTA tweeted.

In Briarwood, Queens, a man sitting in the passenger seat of a parked car died when a tree came down on top of it, officials said.

Con Edison reported that thousands of customers were without power Tuesday afternoon, with Staten Island and southern Brooklyn the hardest hit. Only a handful were in Manhattan, where power lines are underground.

Many of the affected were not expected to be turned back on until Wednesday morning, ConEd said on its website.

Many also reported that emergency calls made to 911 were going unanswered as the service was inundated.

Isaias had come ashore as a category 1 hurricane in North Carolina at 11:10 p.m. Monday, quickly dropping to a tropical storm as it tracked north, passing over Virginia before hitting the tri-state area.

New York City was under a tornado watch until 4 p.m. None were seen in the city, though sightings were reported in New Jersey and Connecticut.

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