Deadly floodwaters swept across parts of the Northeast with more rain in the forecast while more than 42 million Americans faced heat advisories as dangerous weather threatened havoc for much of the nation.
A woman was killed by flooding in New York State. Parts of Pennsylvania were swamped by up to 8 inches of rain. And forecasters warned that residents from North Carolina to New Hampshire can expect heavy rains and potential flooding conditions Monday, with flash flood warnings in parts of New York, Vermont and Connecticut.
“Rainfall rates could reach 2 inches per hour in some locations as the system slowly moves,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said. “Infrastructure in the metro areas may not be able to handle rainfall of this magnitude, and as a result, rising water could quickly inundate some locations.”
A cold front in the Great Plains may bring damaging wind gusts and large hail extending as far north as the Upper Midwest. The central and southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley will also see heavy rains and a chance of flooding.
In a week of world-record-breaking heat, residents in California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida can expect oppressive heat.
Woman dead in Hudson Valley, New York
A woman in her 30s was swept away and drowned while trying to evacuate her home in New York’s Hudson Valley. Flash flooding dislodged boulders, which rammed into the woman’s house and damaged part of its wall, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said. Two other people escaped the home in Highlands, about 40 miles north of New York City.
“Her house was completely surrounded by water,” he said. “She was trying to get through (the flooding) with her dog,” he added, “and she was overwhelmed by tidal-wave type waves.”
Thunderstorms, flooding on the East Coast
New York’s Putnam Valley recorded more than 10 inches of rain. The National Weather Service said part of U.S. Highway 6 near Fort Montgomery, New York, collapsed west of the Palisades Interstate Parkway late Sunday. In Pennsylvania, Chalfont recorded over 8 inches of rain. Several roads were close and water rescues took place across the region.
According to the National Weather Service, over 10 million Americans were under flood watches or warnings, as of Monday morning. As a consolidating frontal system nearing the northern Mid-Atlantic coastline combines with atmospheric moisture content, heavy rain is likely to produce the potential for significant flash flooding in the Northeast and New England on Monday.
Residents from New England to the Mid-Atlantic are advised to avoid driving on any flooded roads, as the majority of flash flood deaths occur in vehicles.
The highest risk of flooding will be in Vermont and the Champlain Valley bordering nearby New York State. There is also a potential for mudslides in Vermont as well.
The front is expected to pass by Tuesday when the heaviest of rain will end.
High temperatures in southwestern US
Parts of Texas, Florida, and the Southwest won’t see any relief from the heat with many areas under heat warnings. Daily highs in the Southwest and High Plains may reach up to and above 110 degrees in the afternoons.
Similarly, high temperatures and oppressive humidity may allow for heat indices to approach 115 degrees throughout parts of South Texas.
US weather watches and warnings
National weather radar
Contributing: Associated Press
