As the extended 4th of July holiday weekend looms on the horizon, severe storms are preparing to strike a wide swath from New York and Pennsylvania all the way to Arkansas.
On Sunday, 51 million people in this area are at risk of severe storms from afternoon to night. The risk area includes Nashville, Louisville, Philadelphia, Memphis, Baltimore, Charlotte and Washington DC
The strongest storms will target Kentucky and Tennessee, potentially bringing damaging wind gusts in excess of 65 mph and ping pong-sized hail, though a tornado or two cannot be ruled out.
Scattered showers will persist through Sunday, with the strongest thunderstorms settling into Kentucky and Tennessee after 2 pm CT. This threat will persist through the night and into the night as the storm line shifts into the Appalachians.
On Monday, this storm system will target the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic region, targeting 29 million in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charlotte, and Raleigh. Damaging winds, large hail, and one or two tornadoes will be possible.
As the July 4th holiday approaches, the Northeast and Southeast can expect scattered showers and temperatures in the 80s and 90s respectively.
The Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions can experience rain showers while the West will see sunny and dry highs with temperatures ranging from 70 to 100 degrees.
Coast-to-coast heat alerts
About 63 million remain under heat alerts Sunday afternoon from coast to coast, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Tallahassee, Montgomery, New Orleans, Corpus Christi, Phoenix, Tucson, Bakersfield, Sacramento and Portland.
More than 30 registrations will be threatened Sunday in eight different states, including the cities of Tucson, Tampa, Phoenix, Fresno, Palm Springs, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Asheville.
On Saturday in Tallahassee temperatures reached a high of 100 degrees, tying a record set in 1990, according to the National Metereological Service. In New Orleans, a heat watch will go into effect Monday.
«Heat indices as high as 110 are expected,» the service said in a cheep. «Practice heat safety and take care!»
Like Saturday, highs in the Southeast will soar into the 90s, with heat index values nearing 115 degrees. Hopefully, the passage of a cold front will help bring temperatures closer to seasonal highs for the remainder of the holiday week.
In the West, heat alerts continue through Tuesday as afternoon highs range from 100 to 120 degrees. Temperatures will drop to average temperatures or below in California and Arizona during the second half of the week.