More than 50 million in Northeast face severe weather risk as wildfire smoke impacts air quality
Over 50 million people in the U.S. Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are under severe weather alerts, including tornado and flood watches. Simultaneously, wildfire smoke from Canada continues to degrade air quality across the region.
Why it matters
The combination of severe storms and hazardous air quality poses a significant public health and safety risk to a large portion of the U.S. population.
More than 50 million people in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are at risk for severe weather this weekend while Canadian wildfire smoke continues to impact air quality.A severe weather threat is in effect from the Ohio Valley through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Residents of towns and cities including New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Cleveland could see damaging winds, large hail, isolated tornadoes and flash flooding.A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect over Chicago, Ithaca, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Philadelphia and D.C. are under a tornado watch until 9:00 p.m. local time with EF-2 tornadoes possible. The National Weather Service said Northeast residents face the potential for scattered flash flooding from D.C. to Boston, with rounds of storms possible ahead of a cold front moving into the region. Urban areas with high runoff will be the most susceptible to flash flooding.
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