Over 250 storms swept across the United States overnight, delivering heavy rain, perilous flooding, and high winds. The threat persists as Tuesday unfolds. In Kentucky, video footage captured emergency responders wading through knee-deep floodwaters to rescue residents stranded in their vehicles on Monday. New Jersey experienced similar scenes, with cars and trucks immobilized by rising waters. Meanwhile, Virginia faced a suspected tornado, leaving behind fallen trees that obstructed roads, while tens of thousands in the Southeast lost power due to downed lines. In the West, winds reaching 100 mph created dust storms in Colorado.
The storms impacted nearly half the country, even causing a temporary halt during a Monday evening World Cup match in Philadelphia, following reports of lightning. Heavy rain also affected New York City. Airports from Boston to Washington halted ground operations on Monday due to severe weather, resulting in 10,000 flight disruptions at the start of the week. Delays and cancellations continued to rise on Tuesday, with 851 delays and 175 cancellations reported early in the day. Some of the most troubled airports were the Northeast hubs — John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport — as turbulent weather and poor visibility persisted, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website.
The risk of storms persists for another 12 million people on Tuesday, across two key regions. The mid-Atlantic area, stretching from eastern North Carolina to southeastern Virginia and southern Maryland, faces the threat of damaging winds. The potential for a brief tornado exists. Flash flood warnings and watches are active from Norfolk, Virginia, to West Virginia. The storm system is expected to progress eastward on Tuesday, with the mid-Atlantic region at risk for isolated rainfall amounts reaching 2-4 inches.
The second threatened area includes the western High Plains and the central Plains, from eastern Wyoming and Colorado to the Oklahoma-Texas border. This region could see hail larger than 2 inches in diameter and damaging winds. Tornadoes are also possible. As the storm threat continues into Wednesday, eastern Wyoming to eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle remain at risk in the western High Plains.
Intense heat is gripping the South and West. The West Coast, still longing for rain, is dealing with heat alerts extending from Louisiana up through the Pacific Northwest. Thirty million people are under heat watches, warnings, and advisories. Scattered record high temperatures may occur, with Las Vegas reaching up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, 111 in Phoenix, 100 in Albuquerque, and 101 in Lubbock. Humidity along the Gulf Coast will raise heat index values further.
The intense heat is expected to persist throughout the week, creating dangerously hot conditions in the afflicted areas. As the West Coast begins to cool, the East will experience rising temperatures. The heat will intensify later in the week and into the weekend, with triple-digit temperatures predicted in parts of the southern Plains, the Southeast, and northern Florida.
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