Tornadoes, flash floods, and extreme heat are plaguing much of the country with more wet weather expected this weekend.
Cleanup is underway in Chicago, Illinois after at least 11 confirmed tornado touchdowns caught locals by surprise Wednesday. The damage the storms left behind included smashed cars and debris-filled parking lots.
Twisters spotted at Chicago area airports forced passengers to seek shelter, leaving hundreds of flights grounded.
“We could hear all the cracking and the roof being torn off,” said one witness. “I looked out the window and saw the power lines come down.”
In the South, dangerous flash flooding slammed parts of Mississippi. One town received more than a half-foot of rain. While overflowing rivers closed several roads and businesses in neighboring Alabama.
Meanwhile, Vermont is asking President Biden for disaster relief after historic flooding swept through the state Monday and Tuesday, with more strong storms and up to four more inches of rain forecasted this weekend.
“We’re expecting more thunderstorms which could bring more flash flooding, hail, and even the threat of a tornado,” said Vermont Gov. Phill Scott (R).
At least one person is dead from flooding in Vermont. The public is being asked to stay out of rivers and streams as flood water recedes.
“It’s filled with chemicals, oil, waste, and more. It’s simply not safe,” Scott said.
However, America’s top weather killer is not tornados, flooding, lightning, or even hurricanes – it’s the heat, which claims the lives of 150 Americans on average each year. The expanding heat waves in recent weeks have prompted alerts for 115 million people across 15 states.
Manual laborers in North Carolina have changed their work schedules to try and beat the heat. Phoenix, Arizona has seen 14 consecutive days with temperatures of 110 or more – closing in on its record of 18 days. And to the east, El Paso, Texas has sweat through nearly 30 days above 100 degrees. And the heat is especially tough on the homeless.
“There was somebody that had a heat stroke, and I think they possibly died,” said James Francisco with Coachella Valley Rescue Mission.
Meanwhile, in California, water, shelter, and shade are all anyone can do to keep cool.
Depending on where you live, the extreme heat can even be worse. Experts say urban areas can hold more heat than rural communities, and the lack of cooler air at night can make heat waves even deadlier.
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