More Than 500,000 Customers Lack Power After Holiday Weekend Storms

More than 500,000 customers remained without power on July 6 after severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and heavy rain struck parts of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest over the holiday weekend. com data showed Pennsylvania with 107,792 customers without electricity, followed by Michigan with 100,621.

New Jersey recorded 69,441 outages, New York 44,110, Maryland 37,122, Connecticut 35,704, Texas 21,331 and Missouri 16,273.

Pennsylvania recorded the highest number of outages after storms brought damaging winds, dangerous lightning and flash flooding. The National Weather Service warned of rainfall rates exceeding two inches per hour, and flood watches remained in effect across large parts of the region.

Michigan reported more than 100,000 outages after storms that began July 3 produced wind gusts approaching 70 mph and damaged about 2,000 power lines. Nearly 500,000 customers lost power at the peak of the event.

New York and New Jersey experienced severe thunderstorms on July 4 that downed trees and power lines. Wind gusts reached 87 mph in Baiting Hollow on Long Island, and a tree struck a subway train in the Bronx, though no injuries were reported. New Jersey emergency crews responded to a house fire in River Edge after a tree fell on a home.

All residents escaped safely, and one firefighter received treatment for minor injuries. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said tens of thousands of outages remained and state agencies were assisting utilities. Officials in New York City warned of potentially life-threatening flash flooding through Monday night.

Maryland and Connecticut also remained under weather alerts for flash flooding and heavy rain. The same system prompted temporary evacuations from Fourth of July events in the Washington, D.C., area. Utility crews continued restoration work Monday while forecasters warned of additional thunderstorms and heavy rainfall through Monday night.