New York City under flood watch, states brace for tornadoes as Memorial Day storms hit East Coast
As storms pelt the East Coast, communities in the central US are mourning the 21 lives lost to severe weather this weekend
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Your support makes all the difference.At least 21 people have died, including two children, in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky after violent storms ripped through the central US over Memorial Day weekend.
At least 11 tornadoes swept through affected states on Sunday, with severe weather forecast to continue throughout Memorial Day. On Monday, a staggering 120m Americans were at risk of large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes as storm systems moved towards the Gulf Coast and East Coast, according to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.
The storms could bring gusts up to 70 miles per hour and quarter-sized hail.
Meanwhile, record-high temperatures are feared in other parts of the country, with excessive heat warnings and heat advisories over southern Texas on Monday.
The death toll climbed to 21 people on Monday.
At least eight people have so far died as a result of the extreme storms in Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a news conference on Sunday evening.
Four people died in Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear confirmed on Monday morning. The victims included a 67-year-old woman in Mercer County, a 62-year-old woman in Hardin County, a 48-year-old woman in Hopkins County and a 34-year-old man in Jefferson County, the governor said.
A fifth person was injured and is fighting for their life as of Monday afternoon, Mr Beshear said.
Meanwhile in Oklahoma, at least two people were killed in Mayes County after a tornado ripped through the northeast part of the state.
In Texas, multiple tornados were reported throughout the state with one plowing through Cooke County on Saturday night – approximately 50 miles north of Dallas – leaving seven people dead.
The sheriff confirmed that a two-year-old and a five-year-old were among the dead. The victims also included three other family members who were found in a home near Valley View – a rural community close to the Oklahoma border.
Excessive heat warning for parts of Texas
Much of Texas, including Austin, San Antonio and Corpus Christi, is under an excessive heat warning this Memorial Day, with temperatures expected to hit triple-digits.
The alert will remain until 8pm local time.
Over 70 cities have been given an extreme heat warning by the National Weather Service (NWS), with temperatures expected to rise to 115F in areas such as south central Texas and a possibility of around 117F in the Corpus Chris region.
Cooling centers have been opened in the city of Austin to provide respite from the sweltering weather.
The NWS reccomends that Texans drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and try and stay in an air-conditioned environment, as well as reminding residents to check up on their neighbours and relatives.
Severe storm threat continues in eastern US after at least 21 killed across multiple states
New York City under flood watch
As deadly thunderstorms approach the East Coast this afternoon, New York City is under a flood watch.
“Minor flooding in urban, low-lying & poor drainage areas is possible,” New York City Emergency Management said on Monday afternoon.
Some 120m people are at risk of severe weather today.
Areas of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia and North Carolina are also at a 5 per cent risk for tornadoes, the agency forecasts.
ICYMI: See the multi-vortex tornado near Creta, Oklahoma
Mid-Atlantic under tornado watch until late Monday evening
Areas of Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia and North Carolina are under a tornado watch until 11pm local time, the National Weather Service said.
Wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour and ping-pong-ball-sized hail are also possible.
Meanwhile, New York City is under a flood watch as thunderstorms pelt the East Coast.
Severe thunderstorms hit southeast
Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are under severe thunderstorm watches this Monday afternoon.
These alerts come after the deadly central US storms blew towards the Gulf Coast and mid-Atlantic.
Some 36,000 customers in Alabama are currently without power as the region is pelted with rain and high winds, according to PowerOutage.us.
ICYMI: At least 21 dead from Memorial Day Weekend storms
Golf-ball-sized hail, strong thunderstorms, destructive winds and tornadoes ripped through parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Indiana and Kentucky this weekend. The death toll climbed to at least 21 people as of Monday morning.
The storms killed eight people in Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed. Meanwhile, seven people, including two children, died in Cooke County, Texas.
Four people in Kentucky also died, Governor Andy Beshear confirmed on Monday morning. Two people in Oklahoma also died.
“It’s just a trail of debris left. The devastation is pretty severe,” Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington told The Associated Press.
Interstate 95 could be disrupted by harsh East Coast storms
Interstate 95, the major north-south freeway connecting the East Coast, could see disruptive rain, wind and hail due to incoming thunderstorms this Memorial Day.
The storms will hit the mid-Atlantic hard on Monday evening, bringing tornado watches to Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia and North Carolina.
Interstate 95 will likely see extra traffic as holiday travelers join commuters on the freeway this evening.
Millions under tornado risk Monday evening
More than 24m people are under a 5 per cent tornado risk on Monday evening, the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts.
Parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia and North Carolina are all impacted by the tornado watch tonight.
Another 50m are at a 2 per cent tornado risk this Memorial Day, according to the NWS.
Much of eastern seaboard to be hit with one-inch hail
Hail at least one-inch in diameter — roughly the size of a quarter — is set to hit most of the eastern seaboard this evening, the National Weather Service (NWS) says.
At that size, hail is capable of damaging cars and roofs. Residents should also be wary of incoming thunderstorms that could cause tornadoes this evening in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Washington, DC, according to the NWS.
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