Eastern Storms Sweep the East as Tornado Risk and Travel Chaos Rise

Thunderstorms swept the eastern U.S., triggering tornado advisories, mass flight cancellations and widespread power outages as forecasters warned of hurricane-force winds in the Mid-Atlantic. With 94 million people under alerts, the worst impacts were expected in the afternoon and evening, prompting North Carolina to activate its emergency team and Washington, D.C., officials to urge shelter and close landmarks. The storm system also brought travel disruptions from the Southeast to the Midwest, along with related risks of flash flooding, seasonal blizzards in the Great Lakes, and dramatic temperature swings.