Nearly 2,000 flights have been canceled across the U.S. on the East Coast, and nearly 120 million Americans are battered by severe thunderstorms on Monday.
The storm system is moving east after crossing the Ohio River Valley on Sunday, potentially bringing severe weather to areas east of the Mississippi River and likely high winds and large hail in addition to downpours and even possible tornadoes.
The hardest hit areas are likely to be in the mid-Atlantic, including southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Baltimore, New York and Washington, DC.
An area stretching from northern Alabama to southern New York, including Atlanta, Charlotte, North Carolina and Binghamton, New York City, is at increased risk for severe storms.
“In the thunderstorm areas, severe weather and flash flooding are a threat,” the National Weather Service said.
Storm forecast map for the US on Monday, August 8. Severe weather is expected along the east coast
Over the weekend, there were about 280 severe storm reports from across the country, including eight tornadoes.
Across the central plains and Mississippi River Valley, there were nearly 100 more reports of high winds, as well as reports of large hail.
As the East braces for summer storms, southern states from Florida to California continue to struggle with dangerous heat this week.
“Numerous record high temperatures and record high morning minimum temperatures are likely in the coming days and the end of this week is nowhere in sight,” the National Weather Service said.
Heat warnings and advisories have been in effect for several weeks in the southern parts of the US and are likely to remain in effect for the foreseeable future as there is no relief in sight for the heat for the rest of the week in these areas. the weather service said.
Record-breaking heat waves have descended this summer in states ranging from Louisiana and Mississippi to Nevada, Texas and California.
Austin, Texas, reached 105 degrees on Sunday, marking the 30th consecutive day with a high temperature exceeding 100 degrees.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, hit a high of 102 on Saturday — the city’s hottest August day on record.
In New Orleans, Louisiana, city officials have warned that extremely high humidity levels will mean the temperature “feels” like 115 degrees or higher. Cooling centers were open to residents who did not have sufficient resources to keep out the heat.
“The predicted excessive heat warning for Monday, August 7, is the 17th excessive heat warning issued to date for 2023, surpassing the previous record of five warnings set in 2021,” city officials said.
Phoenix, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico have seen some of their hottest days on record this past week, with the heat wave expected to continue for the next several days
Residents of Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, New Mexico and California found ways to cool off amid record high temperatures this summer
In the Dallas-Forth Worth area of Texas, the hot heat wave is expected to last for at least another week.
Like Austin, Dallas has experienced temperatures 100 degrees hotter every day since July 24.
The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning across North Texas until 8 p.m. Monday. Heat index values are expected to peak around 114 degrees.
A warm front is then expected to roll in on Tuesday, causing temperatures to rise again by mid-week.
The power grid operator for most of the state, ERCOT, has issued a “weather watch” for Sunday and Monday “because of predicted higher temperatures, increased demand for electricity and the potential for lower reserves.”
According to grid datademand for power reached a record high for several days during this heat wave – peaking last Tuesday at 83,593 megawatts.