National Weather Service warns of severe storms, heat wave and lingering wildfire smoke across U.S.
The Weather Service issued alerts for flash-flooding thunderstorms in the Midwest and East Coast, a heat wave with indices up to 116 °F in parts of the central U.S., and poor air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke.
The National Weather Service said severe thunderstorms could trigger flash flooding on July 20-21 across portions of the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic as a cold front moves through the Upper Midwest and Ohio Valley. At the same time, a tropical depression expected to become Tropical Storm Bertha may bring heavy rain and wind from Texas to the Florida Panhandle.
A heat wave covering the central United States has prompted extreme-heat warnings, with heat indices projected to reach as high as 116 °F in southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri. Officials urged residents to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity and check on vulnerable neighbors.
Air-quality alerts remain in effect for much of the Great Lakes region and parts of the Midwest as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to drift southward. The service warned that the smoke can irritate eyes and lungs and pose heightened risks for infants, children, seniors and people with heart or lung conditions.
The service also noted that flash-flooding events earlier this month caused at least eight deaths in Texas, Arizona and Utah. Forecasters expect additional heavy rain for major East-Coast cities, including Washington, D.C., Baltimore and areas of Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland.
"Smoke can irritate the eyes, lungs and worsen some medical conditions," a regional alert read.
"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors," an extreme-heat advisory in Memphis advised.
The combined threats of storms, heat and smoke are expected to persist for several days, prompting ongoing public safety messages from federal and state agencies.