As the extended July Fourth holiday weekend proceeds, severe storms are set to take aim across a wide swath of the U.S. from New York and Pennsylvania down to Arkansas.
On Sunday, 51 million people in the path risk experiencing severe thunderstorms from the afternoon through the evening. The risk area includes Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Washington, D.C.
The strongest storms will target Kentucky and Tennessee, potentially bringing damaging wind gusts of more than 65 mph and pingpong-ball-size hail — although a tornado or two can’t be ruled out.
Scattered showers will persist throughout Sunday, with the strongest storms set to begin in Kentucky and Tennessee after 2 p.m. CT. The threat will persist into the evening and overnight as the line of storms shifts into the Appalachians.
Flooding was reported in Clinton County, New York.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said rain over the past 12 hours led to dangerous conditions in certain areas.
“I am closely monitoring the situation and have directed my team to assist local officials however necessary,” Hochul said in a statement Sunday. “We have already deployed personnel with the State’s Office of Emergency Management to monitor the situation and provide support to local leaders.”
In Chicago, heavy rain caused delays at NASCAR Street Race Weekend.
“We are in a holding pattern for the #GrantPark220 until conditions improve,” NASCAR tweeted Sunday evening.
The storm system will target the Carolinas and the mid-Atlantic region Monday, affecting 29 million people in Philadelphia; Baltimore; and Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. Damaging wind, large hail and a tornado or two will be possible.
As the July Fourth holiday approaches, the Northeast and the Southeast can expect scattered showers and temperatures in the 80s and the 90s, respectively.
The Midwest and the Rockies may get rain, while the West will be sunny and dry, with temperatures from 70 to the 100s.
Heat alerts from coast to coast
Around 63 million people coast to coast remained under heat alerts Sunday afternoon, including those living in Raleigh; Charlotte; Atlanta; Tallahassee, Florida; Montgomery, Alabama; New Orleans; Corpus Christi, Texas; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Bakersfield and Sacramento, California; and Portland, Oregon.
Excessive heat warnings were issued in Mohave, Maricopa, Yuma and eight other Arizona counties.
More than 30 records were threatened Sunday in cities across eight states: Tucson and Phoenix; Tampa and Jacksonville, Florida; Fresno and Palm Springs, California; New Orleans; and Asheville, North Carolina.
On Saturday, Tallahassee temperatures reached a high of 100 degrees, tying a record set in 1990, according to the National Weather Service. In New Orleans, a heat alert was in effect Sunday.
“Heat indices up to 110 are expected,” the weather service tweeted. “Practice heat safety and take care of yourself!”
As on Saturday, highs in the Southeast were expected to soar into the 90s, with heat index values close to 115 degrees. Luckily, a passing cold front was likely to help to push temperatures down closer to seasonal highs for the rest of the holiday week.
In the West, heat alerts will continue through Tuesday as afternoon highs range from 100 to 120 degrees. Temperatures will drop to at or below average across California and Arizona for the second half of the week.
Authorities have recorded 18 heat-related death in the U.S. since June 18 — 11 in Webb County, Texas, and two in Caddo Parish, Louisiana.
