Nearly 300,000 residents across seven states are currently without power due to tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, according to recent reports.
Massive storms wreaked havoc across the central US over the weekend, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 23 lives and leaving behind a trail of devastation.
The weather risk has now shifted eastward, covering a wide range of states from Alabama to New York, according to forecasters.
Expect more thunderstorms, with damaging wind gusts, hail, and flash flooding in the forecast.
Worst day this year
Worst day this year
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a warning that heavy rain will pummel the east coast until Tuesday morning. This includes areas such as New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.
The agency added that this heavy rainfall carries a slight risk of severe thunderstorms forming in the northeastern to southeastern regions of the United States.
The NWS has predicted the possibility of severe thunderstorms forming in Texas on Tuesday. These storms could bring wind gusts of 120 km/h or higher.
Record or near-record high temperatures are expected to continue, bringing searing heat to parts of the US south.
Monday morning brought severe weather warnings to over 120 million Americans as they started their day.
Sunday saw an unprecedented surge in severe weather activity across the United States, making it the busiest day of the year thus far. A staggering number of over 600 storm damage reports poured in from 20 different states. Devastating twisters and powerful winds wreaked havoc, leaving behind a trail of destruction that included leveled buildings, overturned cars, and downed power lines.
The Indianapolis 500 race on Sunday saw the evacuation of approximately 125,000 spectators due to lightning, thunder, and heavy rain. As a result, the race had to be delayed by four hours.
Several states reported deaths caused by severe weather. Arkansas reported eight deaths, while Texas reported seven, Oklahoma reported two, and Kentucky reported five. Tragically, in Alabama, a 79-year-old woman lost her life on Monday morning when a tree fell into her home. Local media shared this heartbreaking news.
President Joe Biden personally reached out to the governors of all the states impacted by the storms, conveying his support and offering federal assistance.
On Monday, severe storms battered much of Kentucky, prompting Governor Andy Bashear to declare a state of emergency.
“There was a sense of fear and uncertainty that plagued numerous families and communities last night,” he expressed with concern. “Nearly the entire state experienced the wrath of these destructive storms.”
A devastating lightning strike claimed the lives of a farmer and 34 of his cows in Colorado.
Governor Greg Abbott of Texas declared a disaster in over a third of the counties in the state following the onslaught of severe weather.
The state recorded a total of seven fatalities in Valley View, located in Cooke County, Texas. The tragic incident occurred when a tornado struck a rural area close to a mobile home park near the Oklahoma border.
Tragically, the victims of this devastating incident included two young children, aged two and five, as well as three other individuals from the same family.
In May, another powerful tornado wreaked havoc on a rural Iowa town, claiming the lives of four individuals. The recent twisters are a continuation of this destructive weather phenomenon.
Government forecasters are predicting that the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season in 2024 could be “extraordinary.” The season is set to start next month.
