2023-08-07 12:36:00
(CNN) — More than 120 million people in the eastern United States are at risk from severe thunderstorms Monday that can affect communities from Philadelphia to Atlanta with damaging wind gusts, large hail, heavy rain and a few tornadoes.
A very active thunderstorm pattern is expected over the next few days over large swaths of the country east of the Mississippi River. After battering the Ohio River Valley on Sunday, a storm system is moving east, increasing the risk of severe weather on Monday.
The worst will come for the area that stretches from northern Alabama to southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charlotte, Washington, Atlanta and Raleigh.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) raised the severe storm threat to a moderate risk, or a level 4 of 5.
“An outbreak of severe weather is possible across parts of the eastern US today with widespread damaging, locally destructive winds and isolated tornadoes the greatest threats from the southern and central Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic States,” warns Spc.
The moderate risk of strong storms extends from northeast Tennessee to southern Pennsylvania, including Washington and Baltimore. The main threats are powerful gusts of wind over 120 km/h, tornadoes and large hail. The total population at moderate risk exceeds 10 million people.
“Widespread damaging winds are expected along the leading edge of the storm line, with possible localized gusts above 74 mph” (120 km/h), warned SPC. “Supercell development will probably occur around noon, with the possibility of a few tornadoes,” he added.
Parts of the Northeast might also experience heavy rainfall associated with these storms. A slight risk of excessive rain, or a level 2 of 4, was issued earlier for the northeast. Scattered showers with 0.8 to 4 inches of water are possible on Monday.
“In thunderstorm areas, severe weather and flash flooding will be a threat,” the National Weather Service said.
There were more than 150 storm reports on Sunday in the East and more than 130 on Saturday, including 8 tornadoes, spread across Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.
There were another 92 reports of damaging winds and 37 reports of large hail, mostly in the Central Plains and the mid-Mississippi River Valley.
Some areas of the US will feel no relief from sweltering heat
People sit next to a fan amid a record heat wave in the French Quarter of New Orleans on Monday, July 31, 2023. (Credit: Chris Granger/AP)
As parts of the eastern United States brace for hail and heavy rain, cities from Arizona to Florida will continue to deal with dangerous heat this week.
“Numerous record high temperatures and record morning low temperatures are likely in the coming days with no end in sight in the latter part of this week,” the National Weather Service said.
Excessive heat warnings and heat advisories in effect for the southern part of the country, from southeast California to Florida, will likely remain in effect “for the foreseeable future, as no relief from the heat is in sight for the remainder of the week.” in these areas,” the Weather Service said.
About 65 records have been set or equaled on Saturday and Sunday so far in cities across Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. At least 120 more might be established from Sunday to Tuesday.
Austin, Texas hit 40 degrees Celsius this Sunday, marking the 30th consecutive day with a high temperature of more than 37 degrees Celsius.
Albuquerque peaked at 38 degrees Celsius this Saturday, breaking the previous record of 36 degrees Celsius set in 1995. This is also the hottest August day in the city.
In New Orleans, where city officials have warned that high humidity levels will result in temperatures that “feel like” 45 degrees Celsius or higher, cooling centers were open for residents who needed a respite from the heat, the officials said.
“The Excessive Heat Warning forecast for this Monday, August 7, will mark the 17th Excessive Heat Warning issued for 2023 thus far, surpassing the previous record of five warnings in 2021,” New Orleans officials said in a statement.
— CNN Meteorologist Gene Norman and CNN’s Raja Razek contributed to this report.
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