2 dead, 200K without power after severe weather outbreak slams East with hurricane-force wind gusts
One person was killed after being struck by lightning in Alabama, and a teenager was killed after being hit by a falling tree in South Carolina, according to local officials.
Strong winds in Maryland toppled 30-plus utility poles with live power lines trapping dozens in cars
Straight-line winds toppled more than 30 utility poles in Westminster, MD, with live power lines trapping dozens of people inside their cars during Monday's severe weather outbreak. FOX Weather's Katie Byrne has the latest.
WASHINGTON – Cleanup efforts are underway after a severe weather outbreak left at least two people dead and knocked out power to more than 1 million customers across the eastern U.S. on Monday.
The threat began early Monday morning as storms erupted in the Ohio Valley and began their trek to the East Coast, with millions of people placed under Tornado Watches and Severe Thunderstorm Watches as powerful thunderstorms brought flooding rain, hurricane-force wind gusts, large hail and tornadoes well into the evening hours.
Survey teams with the National Weather Service have been investigating storm damage, and so far an EF-2 tornado was reported at the Lovell Crossing Apartment in Knoxville, Tennessee. Forecasters say that tornado had winds of 130 mph and was on the ground for about 200 yards.
After the storms barreled through the region, emergency and utility crews fanned out and began to assess the damage and injuries reported. Power outage numbers have continued to drop and fell to about 200,000 by Tuesday afternoon.
![A utility worker stands near a downed utility pole in Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 7, 2023.]()
Image 1 of 25A utility worker stands near a downed utility pole in Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 7, 2023. (@MyBGE/X)
![A broken utility pole is seen after powerful thunderstorms moved through Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 8, 2023.]()
Image 2 of 25A broken utility pole is seen after powerful thunderstorms moved through Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 8, 2023. (@MyBGE/X)
![Powerful thunderstorms brought down several utility poles in Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 7, 2023.]()
Image 3 of 25Powerful thunderstorms brought down several utility poles in Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 7, 2023. (@MyBGE/X)
![A utility worker stands near a downed utility pole in Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 7, 2023.]()
Image 4 of 25A utility worker stands near a downed utility pole in Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 7, 2023. (@MyBGE/X)
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Image 5 of 25Severe storms knocked a large tree onto a home in White Hall, Maryland. Fire crews rescued the two people trapped. (@HarforCoFireEMS/Twitter)
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Image 6 of 25Severe storms knocked a large tree onto a home in White Hall, Maryland. Fire crews rescued the two people trapped. (@HarforCoFireEMS)
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Image 7 of 25Severe storms knocked a large tree onto a home in White Hall, Maryland. Fire crews rescued the two people trapped. (@HarforCoFireEMS)
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Image 8 of 25Severe storms knocked a large tree onto a home in White Hall, Maryland. Fire crews rescued the two people trapped. (@HarforCoFireEMS)
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Image 9 of 25Harford, New York saw a possible tornado on Monday. The NWS is sending out a survey team to verify. (Mike Niziol)
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Image 10 of 25A strong storm over the Cedar Bluff neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee knocked down trees and power lines. (@puresilverstorm/Twitter)
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Image 11 of 25A strong storm over the Cedar Bluff neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee knocked down trees and power lines. (@puresilverstorm/Twitter)
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Image 12 of 25A strong storm over the Cedar Bluff neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee knocked down trees and power lines. (@puresilverstorm/Twitter)
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Image 13 of 25A severe storm passed over Chattanooga and spawned an impressive lighting bolt. (@forecasternikki/Twitter)
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Image 14 of 25Strong winds in Knoxville, Tennessee knocked this tree onto a truck. (@PRINCESS30KNG/Twitter)
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Image 15 of 25A rotating cloud over Gamewell, North Carolina generates lightning. (@madelynn_wx/Twitter)
![Hail accumulating in a Williamsport, Maryland backyard.]()
Image 16 of 25Hail accumulating in a Williamsport, Maryland backyard. (@MDchelleBelle/Twitter)
![Hail looked more like snow at this Williamsport, Maryland home.]()
Image 17 of 25Hail looked more like snow at this Williamsport, Maryland home. (@MDchelleBelle/Twitter)
![A shelf cloud seen ahead of severe thunderstorms in Sheffield, Alabama on Aug. 7, 2023.]()
Image 18 of 25A shelf cloud seen ahead of severe thunderstorms in Sheffield, Alabama on Aug. 7, 2023. (Image: @TN_Valleywx/Twitter) ( )
![Debris from severe weather damages in Paoli, Indiana on Aug. 7, 2023. (Image: Henry Shetler/Facebook)]()
Image 19 of 25Debris from severe weather damages in Paoli, Indiana on Aug. 7, 2023. (Image: Henry Shetler/Facebook) ( )
![Debris from severe weather damages in Paoli, Indiana on Aug. 7, 2023.]()
Image 20 of 25Debris from severe weather damages in Paoli, Indiana on Aug. 7, 2023. (Image: Henry Shetler/Facebook) ( )
![Storm damage in Paoli, Indiana after severe weather moved through on Aug. 7, 2023.]()
Image 21 of 25Storm damage in Paoli, Indiana after severe weather moved through on Aug. 7, 2023. (Image: Sofiya and Joshua Catron/Facebook) ( )
![Storm damage on Aug. 7 in Paoli, Indiana. (Image credit: Darchelle Dickey/Facebook)]()
Image 22 of 25Storm damage on Aug. 7 in Paoli, Indiana. (Image credit: Darchelle Dickey/Facebook) ( )
![Storm damage on Aug. 7 in Paoli, Indiana. (Image credit: Darchelle Dickey/Facebook)]()
Image 23 of 25Storm damage on Aug. 7 in Paoli, Indiana. (Image credit: Darchelle Dickey/Facebook) ( )
![Storm damage on Aug. 7 in Paoli, Indiana.]()
Image 24 of 25Storm damage on Aug. 7 in Paoli, Indiana. (Image credit: Darchelle Dickey/Facebook) ( )
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Severe weather outbreak turns deadly
At least two people were killed as the destructive thunderstorms raced across the eastern U.S. on Monday.
In Alabama, the Florence Police Department confirmed that a 28-year-old man was struck by lightning in a parking lot at the Florence Industrial Park on Kendall Drive and died.
A teenager in South Carolina was killed after he was hit by a tree that was brought down during the severe weather.
According to the Anderson County Office of the Coroner, 15-year-old Evan Christopher Kinley arrived at his grandparent’s home during the height of the severe weather and was standing in their garage when a large tree was uprooted and fell. The tree then hit Kinley, the garage and a fence on the property.
Listen to the thunder in this rotating cloud
Residents nervously eye a rotating cloud over Gamewell, North Carolina generating lightning and thunder.
At least one person survived being struck by lightning in Vale, North Carolina, and several people were injured after strong winds downed trees in New York and Maryland.
Powerful storms snap dozens of utility poles in Maryland
Powerful thunderstorms brought down several utility poles in Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, August 7, 2023.
(@MyBGE/X)
Straight-line winds blasted through Westminster, Maryland, during the height of Monday's severe weather rampage and snapped more than 30 utility poles.
Live wires then fell on top of about 34 vehicles, trapping adults and children inside.
State and local officials praised those who were trapped for staying inside their vehicles at the advice of first responders who were working tirelessly to rescue them.
Video shows powerful storm bringing down utility poles in Maryland
Video recorded in Westminster, Maryland, shows a powerful thunderstorms bringing down about 30 utility poles.
"Last night, lives were saved," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said. "There were people who were stuck and stranded in cars who were able to sleep in their own beds last night. And that’s because of the work of everybody who moved and our first responders who made it so."
A lot of the work being done on Tuesday will be focused on power restoration. Utility crews have made progress, but tens of thousands of people living in Maryland are still without power.
Possible tornadoes reported in Tennessee, New York
Several Tornado Warnings were issued across the eastern U.S., and videos showed funnel clouds spinning in Tennessee and New York State.
Tornado in Harford, NY
The NWS verified this EF-1 tornado in Harford, New York.
A video from Greenville, Tennessee, showed a funnel cloud there, and another video showed an EF-1 tornado in Harford, New York.
Lewis, New York near Buffalo saw an EF-3. Winds of 140 mph pulled roofs off homes, blew down barn walls, shifted a building on its foundation and knocked down and overturned snow ski lifts at a resort. This was the first EF-3 in the state since 2014.
Baseball-sized hail between Bowling Green and Port Royal in Virginia.
(Twitter/@harrythomvi / FOX Weather)
There were also numerous reports of large hail during the severe weather, including a photo that showed baseball-sized hail that fell between Bowling Green and Port Royal in Virginia.
Torrential rain leads to flooding across eastern US
Flooding was reported across the eastern U.S. on Monday as severe thunderstorms dropped copious amounts of rain in a short period of time.
In West Virginia, water covered the roads in several communities, including Morgantown. In Parkersburg, a video shared on Facebook showed vehicles trying to drive over flooded roads.
Flash flooding in West Virginia
"Don't go shopping today" warns one driver in Parkersburg, West Virgina. The FOX Weather Center tracked storms dumping rain at 4 to 5 inches per hour.
Flooding was also reported in Maryland when the storms barreled through.
Heavy rain reduced visibility for drivers traveling on Interstate 70 near Hagerstown.
Heavy rain blinding drivers in Maryland
Watch the heavy rain fall on this windshield in Hagerstown, Maryland. The driver can barely see cars in front of him.