August 7, 2023 Millions in Eastern US face risk of severe weather

A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking through rain in Washington, DC, on August 7.

More than 120 million people in the Eastern US are at risk of severe thunderstorms Monday with damaging wind gusts, large hail, heavy rain and a few tornadoes possible from Philadelphia to Atlanta.

A potent storm system is moving east after battering the Ohio River Valley Sunday and increasing the risk for severe weather Monday across a large area of the country to the east of the Mississippi River.

The worst of it will be from the Appalachians into Maryland, southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC, primarily due to damaging winds. Areas from northeastern Tennessee to parts of Maryland and southern Pennsylvania are under a moderate risk, Level 4 out of 5, for severe storms.

An area from northern Alabama into southern New York, including Atlanta, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Binghamton, New York, is under an enhanced risk, Level 3 out of 5, for severe storms. A slight risk for severe storms, a Level 2 of 5, spreads from western Alabama to southern New York, including New York City, Pittsburgh, Charleston, South Carolina, Virginia Beach, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina.

Parts of the Northeast could also see heavy rainfall in association with these storms. A slight risk for excessive rainfall, or a Level 2 of 4, has been issued for the Northeast. Scattered rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is possible Monday.

“In the areas of thunderstorms, severe weather and flash flooding will be a threat,” the National Weather Service said.

There were more than 150 storm reports across the East on Sunday and over 130 Saturday, including eight tornadoes, spread across Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.

There were another 92 reports of damaging wind and 37 reports of large hail, mainly across the central Plains and mid-Mississippi River Valley.