Fierce winds threaten to cause damage in northeastern US on Saturday after deadly overnight storms

A potent storm is whipping up damaging winds across the northeastern United States to start the weekend.

The storm triggered severe weather in the Baltimore area on Friday night.

Two people are dead following a partial building collapse, as strong winds blew through the city, according to WJZ-TV.

Wind gusts exceeded 70 mph in Carroll County, Maryland, with extensive damage reported in the town of Mount Airy.

No tornadoes have been reported, but several tornado warnings were issued across southeastern Pennsylvania, including to the north of Philadelphia, as the severe storms swept eastward.

While an isolated severe thunderstorm over Maine cannot be ruled out, winds can turn damaging across a much broader area.

“Windy conditions on the storm’s back side will continue to whip the Northeast into Saturday evening,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

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The gusty winds can cause tree damage and snap power lines, leaving some communities without power.

“Such issues may become most numerous in New England, where winds can gust between 40 and 60 mph,” Pydynowski said.

"Due to the recent soaking, trees are now sitting in saturated soil and may be more susceptible to being knocked down by the strong winds," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis.

Airline passengers should expect flight delays and increased turbulence in the area.

Motorists will need to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel to stay in lanes along stretches of interstates 81, 84, 87, 88, 89, 90, 93 and 95.

Secondary roads may be blocked by fallen trees, power lines and other debris.

People with outdoor decorations, lawn chairs or other loose items should safely secure them or bring them inside to prevent them from becoming airborne.

“The gusty winds will also usher cooler air back into the Northeast, erasing the recent mild surge and allowing snow to return to the higher terrain,” Pydynowski said.

While precipitation will begin as rain in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York and the Green and White Mountains in western New England, enough cold air will plunge in to cause a changeover to all snow into Saturday evening.

These areas can receive a slushy accumulation and may face slippery travel.

The rough start to the weekend will be replaced with much calmer weather on Sunday, which is great news for NFL games and runners in the New York City Marathon.

However, more rain, gusty winds and thunderstorms are on the horizon for Monday and Election Day.

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