Millions across major I-95 corridor cities face severe storm threat as rare, multiday event kicks off
Nasty storms could bring down trees and power lines, while flash flooding will become increasingly likely as even more heavy rain slams the Northeast.
Rare stretch of severe storms to kick off for millions Tuesday
A multi-day severe weather threat is taking shape across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes, with a level 2 out of 5 severe storm risk is in place through Friday, with Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., facing the potential for repeated rounds of strong to severe storms. FOX Weather Meteorologist Steve Bender breaks down the ongoing threat, while FOX Weather Meteorologist Kiyana Lewis analyzes whats to come.
THE TAKEAWAY
- An active weather pattern is locking in across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic this week, packing rounds of nasty storms each day.
- Storms started on Tuesday and will persist for four consecutive days.
- A Level 2 out of 5 severe storm threat is in place for portions of the Northeast.
As several disturbances ride along the northern edge of a heat dome anchored over the Central Mississippi Valley, a stormy stretch will take shape across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes, including the increased threat of severe storms capable of destructive winds, large hail and perhaps a tornado or two.
The multiday severe-weather marathon erupted Tuesday, and the threat continues as storms could down trees and power lines. Flash flooding is also becoming increasingly likely, especially in urban areas where runoff can accumulate quickly.
As of right now, there are four consecutive days of at least a Level 2 out of 5 severe storm threat for portions of the region.
(FOX Weather)
This is likely the first time areas like Philadelphia have been under a Level 2 out of 5 storm threat for three consecutive days in September since 2023.
The last occurrence in 2023 was the only other time, along with a stretch in 2008, where a span of severe weather days had occurred, making this a rather rare stretch for some, the FOX Forecast Center said.
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The initial setup began Tuesday evening as a weak disturbance moved over New York, New Jersey and Connecticut into southern New England.
A second, more pronounced disturbance dove around the top of the heat dome later in the night, with storms originating around the Great Lakes during the day expected to merge into a storm complex that tracks southeast toward the Mid-Atlantic coast.
Tuesday
The first day of a multi-day severe weather threat arrived with extreme force.
Numerous Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued on Tuesday evening and night across Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, as storms produced damaging winds and heavy rain.
Top Wind Reports.
(FOX Weather)
Storm energy increased throughout the day, supporting organized storms capable of producing damaging winds, severe hail and triggering numerous tornado warnings.
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Storm reports included wind gusts of up to 55 mph, along with downed trees and power lines, as of 7 p.m. ET, as the threat continued into the late-night hours.
Storm reports stretched from the Great Lakes into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Tuesday, with wind gusts of up to 55 mph, downed trees and power lines, hail and at least one funnel cloud reported in Pennsylvania. Severe thunderstorms also produced torrential rain and frequent lightning, with the threat continuing into the late-night hours.
(FOX Weather)
Training storms and high rain rates led to some flash flooding across eastern Pennsylvania, resulting in Flash Flood Warnings.
A particularly strong storm produced wind gusts of up to 70 mph and 1-inch hail around 9 p.m. ET Tuesday after moving through Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, knocking out power to nearly 60,000 customers in Pennsylvania alone, with most outages reported in Chester County, according to PowerOutage.us.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning for parts of Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, warned for wind speeds of 80 mph on Tuesday evening.
(FOX Weather)
Roughly 30 million Americans were under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through Tuesday night, including New York City and Philadelphia, on Tuesday night, with wind gusts reaching up to 70 mph, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
(FOX Weather)
As this complex sweeps through, damaging wind gusts and hail will remain the primary hazards, particularly across central and southern Pennsylvania into Wednesday morning.
Wednesday
According to the FOX Forecast Center, scattered thunderstorms may already be underway across Pennsylvania and points southeast early Wednesday.
As clouds and morning storms begin to break up, enough heating should develop through the afternoon to create a warm, humid, and increasingly unstable atmosphere, and with a more potent upper-level disturbance moving across the region, it will provide the support needed for storms to re-organize.
(FOX Weather)
The main threats will be damaging wind gusts and large hail, although a couple of tornadoes will also be possible in the strongest storms.
"This will likely be the day with the most damaging wind reports and potential loss of power," the FOX Forecast Center said.
Additionally, a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat has been issued for Wednesday, which includes New York City.
Thursday and Friday
On Thursday, the heat dome to the south will continue to strengthen and shift back west, while more dips in the jet stream will deepen along the East Coast, creating a more favorable pattern for severe thunderstorms across the Mid-Atlantic and eventually the Carolinas.
In addition, numerous record high temperatures will be possible in the exact areas expecting storms.
(FOX Weather)
Thursday's severe threats shift slightly farther south in the Mid-Atlantic, encompassing Washington, D.C. Storms may develop near the Delmarva or areas farther west along boundaries left behind by earlier storms.
"All the ingredients from the previous two days will come back into play as we head into Labor Day Weekend," the FOX Forecast Center noted.
Come Friday, another round of severe storms is likely as the dip in the jet stream strengthens further across the East Coast. The focus may shift into the southern Mid-Atlantic states, where damaging wind gusts would be the primary concern yet again.
By Saturday, some severe potential could linger farther south across the Carolinas before the pattern breaks down.