By AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jun. 30, 2021 9:43 AM EDT
June is anticipated to end on an active note in terms of severe weather in the Northeast, with millions of Americans at risk for dangerously potent thunderstorms Wednesday. As the second heat wave of the season continues, severe thunderstorms from Pennsylvania to Maine can be fueled by sweltering heat.
"Some very strong thunderstorms are expected to flare up early on Wednesday afternoon across the Northeast's interior," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Carl Babinski.
Contrasting weather conditions will battle in the humidity-rich East, spurring powerful storms in the afternoon.
"A slow-moving cool front will be intersecting with some very hot, humid air, and it will trigger lines of storms over upstate New York and northern New England before 2 or 3 p.m.," said Babinski.
More than 15 million people are under a slight risk for severe weather while nearly 8 million are facing an enhanced risk as calculated by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC). Boston is among the cities currently in the enhanced area, which is the third-highest threat level the SPC issues.
This map shows the threat level for severe weather across the Northeast Wednesday, June 30, 2021 as designated by the NWS Storm Prediction Center.
Flash flooding and damaging winds will be two of the biggest risks these storms pose.
"Storms will continue to thrive in a very hot, sticky environment later Wednesday afternoon and evening as they approach major metropolitan areas like Boston, New York and Philadelphia," said Babinski.
The thunderstorms are also expected to target cities such as Portland, Maine; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Syracuse, New York.
"We could see severe weather anywhere from the eastern Great Lakes to the East Coast," said AccuWeather On-Air Meteorologist Kevin Coskren.
Even outside of the area AccuWeather meteorologists are emphasizing for concentrated severe weather risks, thunderstorms across the Northeast into the Ohio Valley could turn heavy and gusty locally Wednesday.
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The biggest threats with these storms will include torrential downpours, as well as straight-line winds that could gust in excess of 60 mph, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 70 mph, according to Babinski. As a result, there could be downed trees and power outages, as well as street and highway flooding.
Straight-line winds are non-tornadic but powerful thunderstorm winds that can push trees and other objects in their way down in a single direction or in a fanlike pattern over a large distance.
Hail is not out of the question either, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg.
Several National Weather Service offices across the Northeast have issued special weather statements warning of severe storms Wednesday.
AccuWeather forecasters urge residents to ensure they have a way to receive severe weather warnings.
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Motorists should use caution on roadways as heavy rainfall can produce pooling of water and a heightened risk of hydroplaning at highway speeds. Some highly impacted roadways will include interstates 81, 90 and 95.
While dangerous, these storms can bring beneficial rain to parts of the Northeast in need of it. About 70% of the state of Maine is in moderate drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor. Bangor, Maine, for example, has received less than an inch of rain during June, which is 26% of the normal precipitation there.
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