April 28, 2024

Millions across US experiencing heat wave, flooding in ‘opposite sides of the coin’ weather

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Millions of Americans in the West and South will stay trapped under a dome of heat, while a system of storms is set to dunk the East with severe showers and flash flooding through the end of July.

In a heatwave smothering the western third of the country through the end of the month, some spots are already reaching record high temperatures.

A separate pattern will keep showering rain along the East Coast..

“Think of it as opposite sides of a coin essentially,” Fox Weather Meteorologist Cody Braud told The Post. “This whole pattern is happening over half the country is almost virtually completely opposite on the other half.”

pictured is a worker outside in the heat
Millions of Americans in the West and South will remain trapped under a dome of heat through the end of the month.
AFP via Getty Images
A small tractor clears water from a business as flood waters block a street, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Barre, Vt.
A small tractor clears water from a business as flood waters block a street, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Barre, Vt.
AP

Forecasts predicts areas of high pressure will loom over large swaths of the Southwest and Gulf Coast for the rest of July, leading to heat waves that may send temps skyrocketing into the 90s and 100s.

In some places, it may feel even warmer given high humidity and other factors. Temperatures were expected to be between 102 and 111 degrees Fahrenheit in Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday.

Phoenix, Ariz., recorded its seventh consecutive day with temperatures in the 90s, according to the National Weather Service.

a temperature of 102 degrees is shown in the West
A lid will remain over the West through the end of the month, allowing record-setting heat to persist.
AFP via Getty Images

“Just think of it like a big lid over the West, and the rain is just going on the periphery of that and diving down across the eastern half of the United States,” Braud said. “Just about everybody in the eastern half will at least see a couple of days of rain through this week and likely for the foreseeable future.”

Simultaneously, flooding is expected to keep inundating parts of the Northeast going into this week.

The weather pattern remains a deadly threat a week after a New Yorker was killed after being swept away by flood waters. On Saturday, at least four people were killed following flash flooding in eastern Pennsylvania, where at least 5 inches of rain fell in Bucks County.

“There will be intermittent breaks,” Braud said. “We’re gonna stay under a flood watch through this evening. We’ll get a break tomorrow. Another renewed threat Tuesday. We’ll probably get another few days of drying out but then another likely wet Friday, Saturday, Sunday and next week.”

pictured is temperature outlook for the nation
Heat waves may make temperatures stay between 90 and 100 in the western part of the country.
NOAA

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will persist throughout much of the Northeast, where there have been several flash flood warnings and a few tornado warnings issued.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center issued a tornado watch until 3 p.m. Sunday for parts of southern Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and southern New York.

The severe weather also prompted ground stops at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports in New York and New Jersey, and at Boston’s Logan Airport, according to the FAA.

Thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled both within and going into the US as of Sunday afternoon, according to FlightAware.

In the East, flooding has become a problem with heavy rains
Flooding will persist in the eastern portion of the country through the month.
AP

On Sunday, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a flood watch for the entire eastern region of New York and urged people to stay home. New York City and parts of the Mid-Hudson region were under a flash flood warning.

Hochul added that it’s “not normal” for New Yorkers to be this impacted by flooding unless they live by the coastline.

“The fact is we need to have a conversation about how we can make flood insurance more affordable and accessible to New Yorkers because what we saw last week was a 1000 year rain event, and if those are going to become more —even  if it’s a 100 year event — homeowners are not prepared. They don’t have the money in their pockets, in their bank accounts, and they’re expected to cover these costs themselves.” Hochul said. 

airplane delays because of weather are pictured
Severe weather has grounded planes at several airports across the northeast. n
REUTERS

Last week’s storm likely caused about $50 million in damage across the state, Hochul said.

A tornado watch was also put into effect for Long Island, and for Putnam and Westchester counties.

The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services said it has teams staged and ready to respond to flash floods. Utility workers are also at the ready if people lose power.

According to Hochul, poor air quality from Canadian wildfires may return Monday in the northern and western portions of the state.

Meanwhile, Air Quality Alerts are up for the northern tier of the US for nearly 70 million people on Sunday as smoke from Canadian wildfires sweeps across Montana through Minnesota, Fox Weather reported.

By Monday, the smoke will move east — from the Midwest to the Ohio Valley — likely impacting cities including Indianapolis, Louisville, and Cleveland.

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