Sweltering heat stifling a third of US population
Storms leave thousands of Ohioans in the dark
Dangerous, record-setting heat had nearly one-third of the U.S. population in its grip – from the Upper Midwest to the Southeast – on the cusp of summer's official arrival.
The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings, watches and heat advisories for more than 100 million people again Tuesday as temperatures were expected to surge 10 to 20 degrees above normal in the Plains, the Midwest and some areas along the East Coast, according to Accuweather.
People living in Indiana – where temperatures in Indianapolis were forecasted to hit a high of 98 degrees Fahrenheit – have ramped up the air conditioning to get through the heat, prompting concerns of blackouts among energy suppliers.
Meanwhile, severe rain and storms in western Michigan and Ohio knocked out power late Monday into Tuesday, leaving thousands without electricity. Now, much of Michigan has to contend with a heat index hovering near 105 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
It's a similar case for Chicago, where a severe thunderstorm prompted tornado warnings and power outages Monday evening amid gusts close to 84 mph. The city will next contend with sweltering heat approaching the triple digits.
The National Weather Service predicts severe thunderstorms will hit parts of the Upper Midwest on
Wednesday. Severe weather already left its mark on parts of the U.S. this week, and more is on the way.
Milwaukee, like much of the Midwest, saw heavy rains and damaging winds after strong thunderstorms swept through the area Monday. Authorities say three people – two adults and an 11-year-old child – were swept away in a drainage ditch Monday night and were still missing.
NOAA'S Storm Prediction Center showed a slight risk of severe storms for portions of the Northern Plains, the Midwest, parts of the Great Lakes and the Mid-atlantic on Tuesday. Thunderstorms, winds and large hail were expected to sweep through the northern Red River Valley areas of northwestern Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota, along with parts of the Mid-atlantic and mid-missouri Valley, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Baltimore; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Washington, D.C., all faced a slight risk of severe storms on Tuesday, forecasters said. Isolated thunderstorms were expected from South Carolina into Maryland.
“Today or even tomorrow, the severe threat is mainly the Midwest,” said Tyler Roys, an Accuweather senior meteorologist. On Tuesday, “it's geared toward the northern parts of the Plains, Iowa and Minnesota where we could see some severe storms.”
Nearly 48 million people were in areas under excessive heat warnings from the National Weather Service. Pockets across the country were expected to reach temperatures of 100 degrees or more, Roys said, and the corridor between Augusta, Georgia, and Raleigh, North Carolina, was forecast to hit 100 to 105 degrees.
Contributing: Associated Press