Key takeaways:
- Thirty-four million people from Delaware to Connecticut were under flood alerts through Monday as slow-moving storms threatened flash flooding.
- At least 25 heat-related deaths were reported across New Jersey, Mississippi and Illinois, according to officials cited by NBC News.
- Three children died on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin after a recreational motorboat capsized during a sudden severe storm, authorities said.
Millions of people across the Northeast faced the threat of flooding after a holiday weekend of record heat and severe storms that left at least 25 people dead, disrupted July Fourth celebrations and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of utility customers.
The dangerous weather stretched across much of the country. A weeklong heat wave continued Sunday, with 40 million people under heat alerts across the East Coast, Southeast and Southwest, NBC News reported. In the Northeast, 34 million people from Delaware to Connecticut were under flood alerts through Monday as slow-moving storms threatened heavy rain and localized flash flooding.
The New York City Emergency Management Department warned residents to prepare for heavy rain from Sunday to Tuesday, with up to 3 inches forecast and rainfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour. “Periods of heavy rain may cause flooding in the city, including highways, streets, basements, and underpasses,” the department said. CBS News reported that parts of Philadelphia and New York City could receive up to 4 inches of rain between Monday and Tuesday.
The heat proved deadly. New Jersey officials reported suspected heat-related deaths across the state, with CBS News citing at least 25 and NBC News reporting 22 deaths across 10 counties. Two deaths were reported in Hinds County, Mississippi, and one in Cook County, Illinois, according to NBC News. In New York City, more than 378 people visited emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses, the city Health Department said.
“Each of these tragic deaths is one too many,” New Jersey Department of Health spokesperson Dalya Ewais said. “Please note that these numbers are preliminary and unconfirmed until the forensic pathologist completes the exams and death certificates.”
At least 18 record highs were set on the Fourth of July, including in Washington, Baltimore, Raleigh, Norfolk and Atlantic City, NBC News reported. Atlantic City reached 105 degrees, its highest July temperature, according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. In New York, Central Park hit 98 degrees Friday, CBS New York reported. Washington set a record for its all-time warmest low temperature at 84 degrees, according to the weather service.
Severe storms compounded the danger. Saturday’s storms produced more than 540 damaging wind reports across the central and eastern United States, including gusts of 92 mph in Norman, Oklahoma, and 87 mph in Suffolk County, New York, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center. CBS News reported gusts of up to 70 mph in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, where hundreds of trees were damaged or uprooted and rail service faced cancellations and delays.
Power outages persisted Sunday. PowerOutage.us showed more than 797,000 utility customers without electricity Sunday afternoon, CBS News reported, with the most outages in Pennsylvania and Michigan. NBC News reported more than 215,000 outages in Michigan, 151,700 in Pennsylvania and 94,200 in New Jersey.
The storms also interrupted celebrations. In Washington, thunderstorms forced the temporary evacuation of thousands from the National Mall, where Freedom 250 Fourth of July events included a delayed address by President Trump and a fireworks show. Crowds sheltered in museums, subway stations and federal buildings near the Mall. Trump’s remarks, originally scheduled for 9:45 p.m. Eastern, were delayed by about two hours.
“Storms bring luck to whatever the occasion. They also make events a little bit more exciting!” Trump wrote on social media before speaking. “We will wait it out, I don’t care if it’s 2:00 O’Clock in the morning, or in one hour from now.”
Fireworks and festivals were canceled, delayed or briefly paused in several cities, including Hartford, Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre, Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Pittsburgh.
In Wisconsin, authorities said three children died after a privately owned recreational motorboat capsized on Geneva Lake during a sudden severe storm. Six adults and one child were rescued. Police said all four children aboard were wearing life jackets, and officials said the boat was overwhelmed by severe wind and waves as it tried to reach safety.
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