NWS Issues Severe Weather Alert for Some Areas in the Eastern United States

Severe weather is expected to hit the Eastern United States this week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Scattered strong to severe storms have been forecasted over some portions of the region, traversing through the Mid-Mississippi River Valley, Ohio Valley, and the southern Appalachians.

While severe storm systems are relatively more common in the Central US and Southern US, the Eastern Seaboard also experiences the weather disturbance and all of its associated weather hazards.

The NWS also noted that these climatic conditions are likely in the coming days.

The NWS weather forecast comes more than a week after the Memorial Day weekend, when severe storms struck the US East Coast, expanding from New York City to the Carolinas.

The said period recorded the occurrence of flooding due to heavy rain and spawns of tornadoes.

Over recent months, severe thunderstorms across the country has led to some cases of tornado outbreaks, which is common in The Great Plains, the Midwest, Mississippi Valley, and Rocky Mountains.

These twisters have resulted in multiple casualties, disruption, and damage based on previous incidents.

Severe Storm Alert

(Photo : Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

In its short-range forecast on Wednesday, June 8, the NWS Weather Prediction Center (WPC) announced a severe storm system in several areas of the US region, highlighting the possible occurrence of tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail.

The WPC mentioned moderate risk for inclement weather, including excessive rainfall and severe thunderstorms over the Ohio Valley, Southeast US, Lower Mississippi Valley from Wednesday night.

In addition, the case is the same for parts of the Mid-Atlantic and central-southern Great Plains on Thursday and Friday, June 9 and June 10.

The severe storm system is likely to continue into the weekend as the NWS forecast is valid until Saturday, June 11.

Also Read: Severe Weather Outbreak: Massive Blizzard to Possibly Hit Continental US, Threatening Millions

Storm Hotspot Areas

The short-range forecast was issued after the NWS Storm Prediction Center (SPC) provided an outlook of severe thunderstorms in the said regions affecting the following cities and states:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Birmingham, Alabama
Hoover, Alabama
Charleston, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
New York City, New York
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Columbus, Ohio
Baltimore, Maryland
Washington, DC

In addition to these areas provided by the SPC, the WPC listed that Alabama and its surrounding areas are at risk of flash flooding from torrential rain.

Furthermore, the US weather agencies also indicated scattered and isolated rain showers and thunderstorms are possible as far as the central Gulf Coast from Thursday.

This is in line with an approaching cold front from the Northern US.

Tornado Fatalities

In the US, severe storm systems are considered to be both life-threatening and destructive since it can generate tornadoes with varying intensity under the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale.

In December 2021, tornadoes in Kentucky killed over 70 people after the windstorms struck several states, as reported by CBS News.

Between February and May this year, a total of 15 deaths were recorded as tornadoes swept through the states of Alabama, Iowa, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and Michigan.