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Tropical Storm Elsa is tracking up the East Coast bringing the threat of tornadoes, damaging winds, flash flooding, and possible power outages, while on the West Coast a heat dome is keeping temperatures dangerously high.
Parts of the East Coast will be under the threat of gusty winds, heavy rain, and potential tornadoes as Tropical Storm Elsa blasts through the region. There is a considerable threat of flash and urban flooding affecting over 40 million people from New Jersey to Maine, CNN reported. Sustained winds are in the range of 50-52 mph, but gusts could reach up to 65 mph.
As of 5 AM ET, Tropical Storm Elsa was off the coast of New Jersey with sustained winds of 50 mph. The storm was expected to move over parts of Rhode Island, the southeastern edge of Connecticut, and eastern Massachusetts by 11 AM ET with sustained winds of 52 mph, continuing northward and crossing over the eastern edge of Maine in the Atlantic later in the day. By 11 PM Friday the storm was expected to pass directly over Prince Edward Island with sustained winds of 52 mph.
Thousands could be affected by power outages as the storm moves through the region. As of 6:30 AM Friday, 12,908 were without electricity in New York, 6,308 in Pennsylvania, and 5,706 in New Jersey, according to tracking site poweroutage.us.
The threat of severe weather will stretch from part of the West, from Wyoming, stretching to the Ohio Valley and into Illinois and, potentially, parts of Kentucky and Indiana.
The National Weather Service is warning of the potential of severe thunderstorms, which could bring heavy rain and some flooding to the area. The states which could be affected are Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois.
Flash floods are possible over parts of Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois.
Millions of residents on the East Coast under tropical storm warnings and flash flood warnings as Elsa moves northward along the eastern seaboard.
On the West Coast, the heat dome that has stalled over the area remains, bringing another day of excessive heat warnings and advisories to at least 9 states in the West and to states in the Midwest.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued the following alerts for Friday:
Tropical storm warning: Along the eastern coastline near Virginia Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts New Hampshire and Maine.
Flash flood watch: southern Maine, central and southern New Hampshire, southern Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, southern New York, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey; West-central Illinois, southern and southeastern Iowa; northern and northeastern Missouri Southern Texas and along the eastern Gulf.
Excessive heat warning: California; western Oregon; southern Idaho; Nevada; Utah; Western Arizona.
Heat advisory: eastern Washington; northern Idaho; southern Oregon; northern California, southwestern California; southern Nevada; eastern Utah; Western Colorado; northern and central New Mexico; north-central Kansas; south-central Nebraska.
This week is a strong reminder that severe weather and tornadoes occur year-round in the United States, and from coast to coast. One thing you can’t be without in an emergency situation is a cell phone. It can mean the difference between being rescued and losing a life. Each and every member of your family should have a phone. There are family packages that can provide cell phones for every member of your family, and you can get the phones for free. Do a search to find a cell phone plan deals near me.
To get additional information about how to be prepared for severe weather and tornadoes, visit these US government websites for articles on preparedness at:
