Hurricane Isaias barrelled into the United States on Friday evening with lethal force, claiming four lives and plunging thousands into darkness as roofs were torn from buildings along its path. The storm weakened to a post-tropical cyclone after making landfall, but not before carving a destructive corridor through communities still bracing for impact. ## The Storm's Toll The death toll stands at four. Thousands remain without power, their homes exposed to the elements where roofs once stood. The storm didn't ask permission before it arrived, and it didn't linger long enough to survey what it left behind. ## From Hurricane to Cyclone Isaias entered US territory as a hurricane Friday evening, carrying the full weight of its classification. By the time it moved inland, atmospheric conditions had stripped it of hurricane status, downgrading the system to a post-tropical cyclone. The reclassification offered little comfort to those already counting losses. ## Structural Devastation Roofs were ripped clean off buildings as Isaias made its presence known. The violence of wind against structure left homes and businesses open to the sky, their interiors suddenly vulnerable to rain and debris. What took years to build came apart in minutes. The storm has passed, but the work of recovery stretches ahead. Power lines need restoring. Roofs need rebuilding. Four families are planning funerals. The cyclone that was once Isaias continues its journey northward, leaving thousands to pick up what the wind put down.