Storm Isaias brushes off Florida, heads up East Coast

Isaias, downgraded from a hurricane but still a powerful tropical storm, moved along Florida's eastern coast on Sunday, bringing strong winds but no longer posing a storm surge threat.

This report produced by Chris Dignam.

Tropical Storm Isaias churned ominously off of Florida's eastern coast on Sunday, bringing soaking rains and strong winds but no longer posed a storm surge threat.

The storm, which was downgraded from a hurricane, continued to lash the Bahamas with heavy rains.

Local media reported it caused at least two deaths in the Dominican Republic and widespread power outages in Puerto Rico.

On its current path, the powerful tropical storm's center is expected to move into the southern mid-Atlantic states on Monday, and is forecast to reach Washington, Philadelphia and New York City on Tuesday before moving on to New England.

The National Hurricane Center said little change was expected in the storm's strength in the next couple of days but warned that the South and North Carolina coastline could still be hit by storm surges.