Strong storms will bring severe weather over parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley, as well as heavy rain with possible flash flooding, as dangerous heat moves over the eastern half of the US, and fire evacuations in Montana.
NASA warns of serious risk from solar flares
NASA is warning that the current solar activity is much more active than scientists had predicted in 2020, with the sunspot number in July at 91.4, over twice the predicted value of 42.8. Scientists are concerned that Earth’s electrical grid is at serious risk, The Blaze reported. Scientists expect the Sun’s 11-year cycle to peek at the solar maximum in 2025.
Strong storms to bring severe weather over parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley
The area of potential severe weather over the Midwest and Ohio Valley keeps expanding, with the latest update by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) now issuing a Level 2 severe weather risk for central and east-central Missouri, west-central, central, northern and northeastern Illinois, southern Minnesota, northern and northeastern Indiana, as well as central and southern Michigan. The main threat over the region is damaging winds, with a lesser threat of large hail and a low threat of tornadoes. Potential flash flooding over this area is another significant concern.
Heavy rain with possible flash flooding.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is warning of heavy rain with possible flash flooding over central and southern Missouri, into central and southern Illinois, eastern and northern Indiana, northeastern Ohio, and Michigan.
Thursday flash flood outlook: Much of the same area under threat on Wednesday will continue into Thursday, but the threat will expand to include portions of Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and New York. In the West, potential flash flooding over portions of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Dangerous heat moves over the eastern half of the US
Dangerous levels of heat for the eastern half of the US, as well as parts of the northern Rockies and Southwest. Later this week, the hot conditions will shift into the Northeast where temperatures will be in the upper 90s, and the heat indexes will be into the 100s, NJ.com reported. Heat advisories in the Northeast will go into effect on Thursday. Parts of Connecticut are expecting a heat index of 105 on Thursday, NBC reported.
NWS heat alerts:
Here are the latest heat alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS) for Wednesday.
Heat advisory: eastern Montana; southeastern New Mexico; extreme western, central, southern and eastern Texas; and nearly the entirety of Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
The heat advisory also includes portions of Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Fire evacuations in Montana, red flag warnings in Northwest
Officials in Missoula, Montana, have issued a full evacuation of the Lake Mary Ronan area, with the Red Cross setting up shelters The Elmo 2 Fire burning in Lake County has grown to 16,226 acres, according to an overnight infrared flight, NBC reported. The Elmo 2 Fire that is burning in Lake County has exploded to 16,226 acres, according to a survey from an infrared flight overnight.
Red flag warnings: The NWS issued a red flag warning for central, southeastern, and eastern Washington; central, north central, and northeast Oregon; central and eastern Montana.
