Millions from Maine to Virginia in the path of severe storms
ARLINGTON, Va. -- Tens of millions of Americans from Virginia to Maine are in the path of severe storms Tuesday. The rain fell so quickly in Arlington, Virginia, on Tuesday afternoon that drivers were trapped, prompting rescues.
Tuesday's storm came in fast, causing flash flooding and swamping nearly two dozen cars on the heavily traveled George Washington Parkway outside D.C. And there was a leak of a different kind on Capitol Hill, as water poured from the ceiling in the Cannon House Office Building. A nearby Metro station looked more like a waterfall during the height of the storm.
The same heavy rain flooded the dugouts at Nationals Park, just ahead of the start of the Major League Baseball's All-Star Game later this evening.
In fact, the storm slammed the entire Northeast hard. A time-lapse video shows it washing over the Manhattan skyline where it dumped water on the city and flooded parts of the New York City subway system. A funnel cloud was even spotted off the tip of southern Manhattan. Footage of the weather event was widely seen online.
A waterspout spotted on the New York Harbor as the storm engulfs Lower Manhattan #NYC pic.twitter.com/OuDWxIUBPB
— Max Guliani (@maximusupinNYc) July 17, 2018
Connecticut saw tornado warnings and heavy rain, while the storm brought flash floods and knocked out power to thousands in Massachusetts on what has been a very hot and sticky day.
Flash flooding -Sutton Ave Find alternate route! Please retweet pic.twitter.com/HVdD1GkpT1
— Oxford MA Police (@OxfordPD_MA) July 17, 2018
And of course, weather like this has meant thousands of flight delays and cancellations from Washington to Boston. However, with the storm moving on, the airlines are expecting to catch up Tuesday evening and operate normally by Wednesday.
Out West, hot and dry weather in California slowed efforts to contain a forest fire near Yosemite National Park that killed a firefighter last weekend. Some tourists were forced to cut their visit short, although all park trails remained open.
The wildfire has roared through dry brush and tinder between the town of Mariposa and Yosemite National Park and has scorched more than 19 square miles in steep terrain on the park's western edge, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.
More than 1,400 firefighters were battling the flames threatening more than 100 structures.