AccuWeather is wrapping up live coverage on the severe storms that drenched the Northeast. Forecasters say storms will continue to target the region through the middle of the week. For additional coverage, stream AccuWeather NOW anytime on our website. Stay up to date on the latest weather in your area by downloading the AccuWeather mobile app and visiting AccuWeather.com. And keep an eye on weather news and forecasts by following AccuWeather on:
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AccuWeather meteorologists warn thunderstorms could once again be feisty on Tuesday across parts of the East Coast. Some of the same cities, like Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York City will be at risk for severe storms on Tuesday. The main threats from the storms will be damaging wind gusts, hail and flash flooding. The strongest storms could have an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 75 mph.

Storms will likely lead to travel delays across the regions. Air travel was significantly disrupted on Monday due to severe weather and disruptions will continue on Tuesday. As of Tuesday morning, there were more than 200 canceled flights between the three airports in the New York City metro area, according to ABC7.
As severe storms rolled across the East Coast on Monday, dark storm clouds were captured by residents in Pennsylvania. Photos shared by Jimmy Pearson showed a shelf cloud forming in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, which is located just outside of the city of Pittsburgh. A shelf cloud is a low, horizontal wedge-shaped cloud, often associated with a thunderstorm gust front or cold front. Another photo taken in the state capital of Harrisburg showed dark, turbulent storm clouds forming in the sky. Quarter-sized hail, heavy rain was reported in Harrisburg on Monday, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Of the 311 storm reports from Monday, the majority across the Northeast included damaging wind gusts and hail, according to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC). Photos and videos shared on social media showed hail pouring down in several North Carolina communities. According to the SPC storm reports, there were multiple reports of 2-inch hailstones across North Carolina. Damaging wind gusts knocked over trees and power lines across many East-Coast states on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, at least 12,000 customers are without power in Pennsylvania, according to PowerOutage.US.
From the Carolinas to Ontario, severe thunderstorms struck communities with torrential rain, pounding hail and gusty winds on June 26.
Air Force Capt. Robert C. Miller and Major Ernest J. Fawbush, two senior members of the Air Force who survived a damaging twister on March 20, 1948, used their experience and weather knowledge to transform how severe weather was forecast.
The forecasting duo spent several days studying weather pattern of past severe weather outbreaks, understanding exactly what went into forecasting one of natures most destructive weather events — tornadoes. During the afternoon of March 25, 1948, they issued the first ever tornado forecast. Despite the pushback the pair received before issuing the forecast, it ended up saving millions of dollars in damages at the Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City.
“This was during a time when public tornado forecasts were frowned upon based off of fear that they would cause mass chaos,” Weather Flight Commander at the Tinker Air Force Base, First Lt. Zachary Vozzelli, told AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell. “The courage that these two men had to go against the grain really paved the way for tornado forecasting.”

Tornado Damage to planes and cars March 25, 1948 at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.
When severe weather begins to fire up, radar helps to pinpoint the location of damaging tornadoes and quickly warn those in its path. As a thunderstorm rotates and strengthens, a hook-like shape may appear on the edge of the storm when viewed on radar. This hook can become more prominent in an area where a tornado can spawn as the storm intensifies. As a tornado touches down, it can loft objects and debris into the atmosphere, forming a cluster sometimes referred to as a “debris ball.” The presence of both strong rotation and a debris ball in the same area often indicates there is a radar-confirmed tornado occurring.
The overall risk of being struck by lightning is already low, with odds of one and 15,300 of being hit in your lifetime (defined as 80 years), according to the National Weather Service (NWS). But there are proper safety precautions one can take to further protect themselves when lightning is a risk in their area. When thunder roars, get indoors, is a catch phase used by the NWS for people to remember the safest place during a thunderstorm is inside. If you can’t get indoors, here are some other precautions you could take to protect yourself during a thunderstorm:
• Cars are better than nothing. While being in an enclosed car is not as safe as being inside a building, it is safer than staying outside.
• Stay low: It’s best to get as low to the ground as possible, you do not want to be the tallest thing around during a thunderstorm.
• Avoid bodies of water. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, meaning it can travel far.
• Tents and pavilions are not good options. Many tents and pavilions have metallic or least frames made of other conductive materials. They are just as risky to stand under as a lone, tall tree.
• Don’t dawdle. While lightning can occasionally strike farther away, it typically strikes within a 10-mile radius around the storm. If you can hear thunder, then it’s time to get inside.
• Always check the forecast before heading outside. If you know you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time, far from any nearby buildings or your car, check your local forecast before you leave the house for the day.
Over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into dangerous floodwaters, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you come across a flooded roadway, it is important toTurn Around, Don’t Drown! ® Just one foot of moving water is enough to sweep away your vehicle. While you should avoid driving into flooded roadways, if you happen to find yourself trapped in your car in fasting moving water the most important thing to remember to do is to stay calm. According toCar.com, here are a few other things to remember:
• Turn on your headlights and hazard lights to make it easier for emergency personnel to locate you.
• Unbuckle your seat belt and unlock your doors.
• Take your jacket and outer clothing off.
• If you can open your windows, do so slowly, climb out, move to higher ground and call 911.
If you can’t open your windows, you’ll have to open your doors. To do so, you must first equalize the water pressure inside your car to match the outside. This will require water to enter the car and fill up to about neck level. Once the doors are open, swim safely to land and call 911.
As a powerful storm system moved across the Northeast on Monday, several downed trees and power lines were reported in the aftermath. One instance included a tree that fell on an apartment building near Pikesville, Maryland. Multiple trees were observed down in North Carolina, including 20 oak and pine trees on roads near Union Grove. In New Jersey, numerous trees were down near Morris Township and large branches were down in Marlton. A tree fell on a mobile home in Border City, New York, and multiple wires were observed down in Irondequoit. Tree damage was also reported in Pennsylvania and Virginia on Monday.
Flooding has been observed across the Northeast as heavy rain fell from severe thunderstorms on Monday. In New Jersey, widespread flooding was reported in Hillsborough County. In Morris County, New Jersey, flooding was reported on Interstate 80 near Landing. Roads were flooded in Pennsylvania near Tatamy, prompting road closures. Additional flooding reports were also observed in New Hampshire, New York and Maine.
Tornado watch: This means you are “watching” for something to happen. Usually issued a few hours before severe storms could hit a broad area. A watch is used to alert the public of a developing threat for tornadoes where conditions exist for creating tornadoes, but one has not necessarily formed yet. When under a watch, it is important to be prepared and remain vigilant.
Tornado warning: This means forecasters are “warning” you to take action and seek shelter immediately. It is more urgent than a tornado watch.Warnings are issued minutes before a tornado strikes a highly localized area. A tornado is imminent or has been detected on radar.
A simple way to remember the difference between both is using the taco analogy. A watch means the ingredients to make tacos are there, but the taco has not been made yet. A warning means the tacos have been made and are ready right now, eating them is coming very soon.
Power outages have continued to climb as severe weather impacts the Northeast on Monday. In New Jersey, more than 32,000 customers were without power as of Monday evening, according to poweroutage.us. Most outages were in the northern part of the state. More than 12,000 customers were without power in Somerset and Morris County. In New York, the largest percentage of outages was in the eastern portion of the state, including Hamilton County, where over 1,000 were without power.

Lightning claimed a sixth person this year in Garden County, Nebraska, when a 27-year-old man on horseback was struck while checking on cattle, according to the National Lightning Safety Council. The fatality occurred on a day when a complex developed over western parts of the state and pushed to the southwest, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said. The storms had not yet become severe, stressing the need for lightning safety in all storms. "Ranching and farming are two of the deadliest work-related activities with respect to lightning and have contributed to a combined total of 22 lightning fatalities since 2006," Lightning Safety Specialist John Jensenius said in a press release. "Ranching has now led to eight of those deaths."

A radar image showing severe thunderstorms over eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey around 3:25 p.m. EDT Monday. (AccuWeather)
A cluster of thunderstorms is rumbling over eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey, and is tracking toward the northeast. The storms have already produced small hail and damaging winds, and they could get worse with two of the storms capable of spinning up tornadoes. However, as of 3:30 p.m. EDT, no tornado has been confirmed. This could just be the first wave of storms to erupt over this region, with more severe weather possible in these areas of eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey later today or early tonight.
It was a dry end to spring across the Northeast, and particularly in May, as many areas endured lengthy stretches without soaking rain. This prolonged dryness allowed lawns to become brown as if it were late in the summer and it also caused a flash drought to develop.
“As of June 20, over 70% of the region was at least abnormally dry, with a total of 34% of the area in at least a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis stated. “A small portion of southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland was even classified as being in a severe drought.”
So despite the severe weather dangers of high winds, hail, and even an isolated tornado or two, the rainfall associated with the severe storms on Monday will likely be a welcome sight — as long as it doesn’t lead to dangerous flash flooding.


The risk of damaging thunderstorms is increasing across the Northeast, and shortly after 1 p.m. EDT, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a severe thunderstorm watch. The watch extends from the shores of Lake Ontario in upstate New York to the beaches along the coast of New Jersey. The watch is in effect until 9 p.m. EDT for more than 19.5 million people, including those in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, New York; Philadelphia, Allentown, Scranton and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; and Trenton, New Jersey. A severe thunderstorm watch means that the conditions are present for strong storms to develop, while a severe thunderstorm warning means that an intense storm is imminent or already happening. Damaging winds, hail and frequent lightning are the main threats, but AccuWeather meteorologists say a few isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
Nearly 24 million people are located within a high-risk zone of severe weather highlighted by AccuWeather meteorologists. The high-risk area encompasses cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. A moderate-risk zone stretches from New York City to the eastern border of Georgia. More than 35 million people are forecast to be in a moderate risk zone on Monday.
Storms began firing up Monday morning and will continue into the evening hours. The main threats from these storms will be damaging wind gusts, large hail, flash flooding and isolated tornadoes. In the strongest storms, an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph is possible.
An influx of moisture from the South will fuel wet weather and severe storms across the East Coast early this week.
A severe thunderstorm swept through the New York City area on Monday morning, a precursor for what is expected to unfold across a large area of the East Coast on Monday afternoon into Monday night. The storm contributed to significant travel disruptions, with Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport combining for 423 flight cancellations and 724 delays as of late Monday morning, according to FlightAware. Additional flights could be canceled or delayed later in the day as more storms develop, and airport officials are urging travelers to check with their airlines to determine the status of planned flights into or out of the airports. Tuesday could be another hectic day for travelers across the country with AccuWeather meteorologists predicting 750 flight cancellations across the United States.

AccuWeather forecasters say a large swath of the East Coast will be at risk for severe weather on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday, storms will stretch from Alabama and Georgia to central New York and southern New England. Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas will be under a high risk for severe weather on Monday. Other cities, such as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New York City, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Atlanta will be under a moderate risk on Monday.

The most widespread severe risk other than cloud-to-ground lightning is expected to be damaging winds, with gusts of 60-70 mph possible. In the strongest storms, an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph will be possible. Storms may also contain hail and a few isolated tornadoes, all of which could cause power outages, tree damage and travel disruptions.
Power outages can occur as a result of severe weather, making preparing for them a vital part of severe weather preparations. It could take hours, days or even weeks for power to be restored after a severe weather event. A general rule of thumb is a family should have enough supplies to last at least 72 hours after a power outage, including non-perishable food and bottled water. Make sure to keep extra batteries for flashlights and emergency radios. Remember to prepare for any temperature by buying blankets, sweatshirts and battery-powered fans. Having rechargeable and portable batteries can also help you to survive long-term power outages so phones can remain charged for emergency contact between loved ones and urgent services.