Severe Storms Threaten 50 Million From Ohio Valley to Northeast

A severe weather threat stretches from the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Saturday. , face damaging winds, large hail, isolated tornadoes and flash flooding. Severe thunderstorm watches are active over Chicago, Ithaca, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

Remain under tornado watches until 9 p.m. local time, where forecasters say EF-2 tornadoes remain possible. Hazy skies and air-quality readings in the Orange and Red ranges blanketed much of the Mid-Atlantic until thunderstorms arrived in mid-afternoon.

Heavy smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota has reached at least 19 states this week. Rain is expected to continue through the night and push the smoke eastward while lowering temperatures into the mid- or high-80s on Sunday. Tens of thousands of fans are gathering in New Jersey for Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.

The New Jersey Department of Health reported that at least 71 people visited emergency departments and urgent-care centers on Saturday with asthma or asthma-like symptoms, a figure within normal daily ranges before the smoke arrived. Farther south, recovery continues in central Texas after two feet of rain fell in recent days.

Some rivers remain high and roads stay impassable, prompting the Texas National Guard to conduct aerial rescues and medical transports.