Major storms that have battered the Plains and Midwest this week moved east on Thursday and were expected to dump heavy rain on a swath of the country from New York to South Carolina.
Storms are expected to weaken after a tornado struck Missouri on Wednesday, killing at least five people. Tornadoes were also reported in neighboring states, including Illinois and Iowa, less than a week after dozens of tornadoes impacted wide swaths of the Midwest and South.
Some severe storms are likely in the mid-Atlantic on Thursday, and damaging thunderstorms and large hail will be the main threats, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Flooding is also possible in parts of the South on Thursday, and a flood watch is in effect in parts of Texas and Louisiana. Farther north, blizzard conditions affecting the Dakotas and surrounding areas began to ease on Thursday.
The storms spawned dozens of tornadoes, especially in the South and Midwest, killing more than 60 people this year. Just last weekend, confirmed or suspected tornadoes devastated neighborhoods across a wide swath of the country.
Developments:
►The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning Thursday afternoon for parts of Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, along with the District of Columbia.
►In Kentucky, preliminary results Thursday indicated tornadoes touched down in the Pleasure Ridge Park and Newburgh areas of Louisville. The storm toppled trees and power lines and tore off the roof of an apartment building.
What defines a blizzard? It is expected that heavy snow and strong winds will sweep the country.
What is a flash flood watch or warning?:Here's what to know about this deadly weather threat
Cleanup is underway after a deadly Missouri tornado
The tornado touched down in Missouri around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, tearing through a rural area of Bollinger County, about 100 miles south of St. Louis. Five people were killed and at least five others injured when trees were uprooted, homes were destroyed and one building was flipped on its side.
State Highway Patrol Superintendent Eric Olson said 12 buildings were destroyed and dozens more were damaged, mostly around the village of Glen Allen.
Charles Collier, 61, said he saw the coroner's truck drive by with its lights on in Glen Allen, where he owns a storage facility.
“That was a sad, sad scene, knowing there were bodies there,” Collier said. “I was just numb, thinking about all these other people, and what they're going through.”
Authorities said Thursday that the five people killed were inside a nearby mobile home or camper that had been destroyed.
Houston, New Orleans could see flash flooding
Up to 8 inches of rain could blanket localized areas of southeast Texas and northern Louisiana amid a series of thunderstorms that will continue through Friday, AccuWeather warns.
Houston, College Station, New Orleans and Baton Rouge are among the cities where drivers should be careful of water accumulating on roads and low places. Small creeks and streams may overflow their banks. A flood watch is in effect through Saturday morning for parts of Louisiana and Texas.
“There are some strong storms developing in the metro area (Friday),” Margaret Orr, a meteorologist at WDSU-TV in New Orleans, warned. “So if you have to drive, it could be a problem here in town.”
Severe storms reach the East Coast
Cities that could see severe weather on Thursday include Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Houston; The San Antonio Storm Prediction Center said.
Tornado threats will be much less likely on Thursday than they were earlier this week, but storms are still expected to cause damage and disrupt travel in the area. Residents can expect heavy rain accompanied by hail and wind gusts of up to 60 mph.
The states expected to be affected on Thursday are:
- Delaware
- Maryland
- New York
- North Carolina
- New Jersey
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- West Virginia
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