In Raleigh, downed trees and ponding on roads as Isaias passes to the east

In Raleigh, Crabtree Creek was rising at 3 a.m. Tuesday, but the Crabtree Valley Mall parking deck did not flood like it has in previous storms. Standing water was reported in west Raleigh on Avent Ferry Road and along Western Boulevard.

In Cary, a massive tree crashed into a family's bedroom around 3 a.m. Crews spent Tuesday working to cover the massive holes in the roof.

The couple who live in the home said they heard a loud bang before the wife noticed her husband covered in sheet rock and other debris after the roof had collapsed on him. The family called 911, and there were no injuries.

The crash also alerted neighbors. The Lorelle family and their children were up at 8 a.m. helping with the cleanup. Other neighbors also stopped by to make sure the family impacted was OK.

“I think we wondered how many of his nine lives Tom had used up, because he was in bed, and he is a Vietnam veteran so he’s had a lot of close encounters before," Dana Lorelle said of her neighbor. "He said that he woke up with sheet rock on top of him. And when you look inside the bedroom, you think how did anyone survive this? Yeah, he’s very fortunate.”

Before 3:30 a.m., a large tree fell across Lead Mine Road near Lynn Road in Raleigh, and police said an officer almost drove into it. The road was closed in the area, and crews were called to remove it.

Even after the sun comes out, people are asked to stay inside their homes to avoid possibly flooded roads and downed trees. Wilmoth said conditions could improve in the Triangle by 7 a.m. as Isaias lifts north into Virginia.

Local officials and those with emergency management warn that the rain from Isaias will come quickly. They encourage people who see standing water not to attempt to go through it. Roads may be washed out and other debris — possibly even power lines — could be in the water.

Shoppers were still in abundance at Crabtree Valley Mall Monday evening. Mall officials said they were going to close the lower level of parking due to the possibility of flooding.

Officials within the county also said it's important for citizens to be prepared. Emergency management personnel told WRAL's Aaron Thomas they were prepared to be up all night responding to phone calls regarding flooded roads, trees down and power outages.

Garner Deputy Fire Chief Tim Herman said his crews spent hours making sure their trucks were fueled up, chainsaws were ready and generators were on hand. Emergency crews were prepared to close roads if they received calls about flooding, too.

"Trees down, power lines down, with the amount of rain, we're concerned about some flooding," Herman said. "So we're in constant contact with the Wake County Emergency Center. They've got deployed swift water rescue teams in the area, so we're partnering with them to make sure if that need arises, we can get those specialized teams on the way."

Herman also said with rain picking up, officials will partner with other first responders in Wake County and are willing to pitch in and help in areas that get a high volume of calls.