Severe Storms Continue Across the U.S. After Flooding, Power Outages and Travel Disruptions, While Dangerous Heat Builds in the South and West

Storms leave flooding, wind damage and travel disruption

A broad and volatile weather pattern continues to affect the United States, with severe storms, dangerous flooding, high winds and intense heat all unfolding at the same time.

More than 250 storms brought heavy rain, flooding and strong winds to large areas overnight. The threat is set to continue through Tuesday, with nearly half the country already affected by the storm system.

In Kentucky, video showed emergency crews wading through knee-deep floodwaters to rescue residents stranded in cars on Monday. In New Jersey, cars and trucks were also stuck as water rose around them.

In Virginia, a suspected tornado left fallen trees across roads. Across the Southeast, tens of thousands of people were without power after power lines came down. Farther west, winds reaching 100 mph lifted dust into the air in Colorado.

Lightning pauses World Cup match in Philadelphia

The storms also disrupted major public events. A Monday evening World Cup game in Philadelphia, PA, was paused at halftime after reports of lightning.

The same stormy pattern affected air travel across the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic. Airports from Boston, MA, to Washington, WA, imposed ground stops Monday as severe weather moved through the region.

By the start of the week, the disruption had already reached 10,000 flight delays and cancellations.

Flight problems continued to climb Tuesday. Early in the day, 851 delays and 175 cancellations had been reported within the United States.

Northeast airports face delays as storms persist

Some of the most affected airports were major Northeast hubs, where stormy weather and low visibility persisted Tuesday morning.

Those airports included:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, NY
• LaGuardia Airport in New York, NY
• Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, PA
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport serving Washington, D.C.

The combination of low visibility, heavy rain and lingering storms kept operations under pressure. Ground stops and delays spread quickly through the air travel network, especially along the busy corridor from Boston to Washington.

Twelve million people face renewed storm risk

Another 12 million people are at risk for more storms Tuesday across two main zones.

The first risk area extends through the mid-Atlantic, from eastern North Carolina into southeastern Virginia and southern Maryland. Damaging winds are the main threat, although a brief tornado or two cannot be ruled out.

Flash flood warnings and watches are in place from Norfolk, VA, into West Virginia. The storm system is expected to continue east Tuesday, with isolated rainfall totals that could reach 2 to 4 inches in the mid-Atlantic.

Water will be a central hazard in these areas. Where storms repeat over the same locations, road flooding and rapid rises in creeks and streams can develop quickly.

High Plains face large hail and damaging winds

The second storm risk area stretches across the western High Plains into the central Plains, from eastern Wyoming and eastern Colorado to the Oklahoma and Texas border.

Very large hail, greater than 2 inches in diameter, and damaging winds are likely. A few tornadoes are also possible.

The storm threat will continue into Wednesday, especially in the western High Plains, from eastern Wyoming to eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle.

This is a wide severe weather zone, with threats changing by region. In the mid-Atlantic, flooding and wind damage are the primary concerns. In the High Plains, the main risks shift toward large hail, damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes.

Dangerous heat expands across the South and West

While storms batter parts of the country, dangerous heat is building across the South and West. Heat alerts are in place from Louisiana through the Pacific Northwest, with 30 million people under heat watches, warnings and advisories.

The West Coast may be looking for rain, but the immediate weather concern is heat.

Scattered record highs are possible in several states. Forecast temperatures include 110 degrees Fahrenheit in Las Vegas, NV, 111 degrees Fahrenheit in Phoenix, AZ, 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Albuquerque, NM, and 101 degrees Fahrenheit in Lubbock, TX.

Along the Gulf Coast, humidity will push heat index values even higher, making conditions feel more dangerous than the air temperature alone.

Heat persists through the end of the week

The intense heat is expected to affect the South and West through the end of the week. Forecasts point to dangerously hot conditions across the affected regions, with heat alerts covering a large swath of the country.

As the West Coast begins to cool, heat will build later this week and into the weekend in the East. Triple-digit temperatures are expected in parts of the southern Plains, the Southeast and northern Florida.

The national weather pattern remains split between two hazards: severe storms and flooding in one part of the country, dangerous heat in another. In both zones, the weather will continue to affect roads, airports, power systems and daily routines.