Lethal storms slam Northeast and South Texas, forcing July 4 cancellations and energy outages


Visitors is seen on Interstate 35 on July 03, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Brandon Bell | Getty Photos Information | Getty Photos

Heavy in a single day thunderstorms within the Northeast and South Texas left a number of individuals lifeless and precipitated widespread injury forward of the Fourth of July weekend, authorities stated.

Officers with the Metropolis of Plainfield, New Jersey, simply southwest of New York Metropolis, stated two males, aged 79 and 25, had been killed when a tree fell onto the car they had been touring in on the top of the storm. The names of the victims had been being withheld out of respect for the households, the officers stated.

“The devastating storm that struck our metropolis has left deep scars, widespread injury, and 1000’s nonetheless with out energy,” Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp stated in a assertion on Fb.

At 6 a.m., almost 44,000 power clients had been in the dead of night in New York state, together with 24,000 in New Jersey and 23,000 in Massachusetts.

The precedence was to “start the work of rebuilding,” Mapp stated.

“In mild of this tragedy we can’t, in all good conscience proceed with our Fourth of July parade, live performance, or fireworks,” he added.

A further in a single day fatality in close by North Plainfield, New Jersey, was confirmed by Mayor Lawrence La Ronde, who instructed WNBC that the town’s West Finish space is “a multitude.” He stated the town was working with utility officers to take away down wires and restore energy.

Footage posted on social media confirmed massive timber toppled by sturdy winds in North Plainfield, whereas one other video confirmed downed energy strains in Salt Level, New Jersey. Movies additionally captured heavy hail falling throughout the area.

New York Metropolis seems to have averted the worst of the storm, however injury was reported from Connecticut into central New Jersey.

Roughly 39 million individuals had been topic to alerts and warnings for thunderstorms Thursday, placing vacation celebrations and journey plans in danger.

By Friday morning, the quantity affected had dropped to 11.5 million, in line with the climate service’s Storm Prediction Middle.

Fireworks shows could also be affected by storms or rain after nightfall in these areas.

South Texas, Southwest Florida battered, too

Legislation enforcement in Kerr County, Texas, northwest of San Antonio, confirmed Friday that flooding from storms there had led to unspecified fatalities. NBC Information 4 San Antonio reported a household in Kerrville, Texas, was lacking after their home was swept away.

Heavy rainfall precipitated the Guadalupe River to swell to ranges not seen in many years, in line with the Nationwide Climate Service. “The complete county is a particularly energetic scene,” the sheriff’s workplace wrote on Fb. In an space close to Hunt, Texas, the Guadalupe River jumped 22 ft in 3 hours, authorities stated.

Flood alerts stay in impact via Friday night for 3 million residents throughout Abilene, San Angelo, and San Antonio, Texas.

The NWS had earlier declared a flash flood emergency for the county, with between 5 and 10 inches of rain fell in a single day. The company stated that automated rain gauges “point out a big and lethal flood wave is shifting down the Guadalupe River” and that “flash flooding is already occurring.”

warning of “life-threatening” flash flooding was additionally issued for a number of counties throughout south-central Texas.

Vacation storms anticipated throughout the nation

The July 4 vacation will characteristic extensively scattered showers throughout components of the Rockies, Plains, and Southeast, whereas the Northeast and Southwest are anticipated to stay dry.

Fourth of July celebrations had been already canceled on Anna Maria Island in Southwest Florida because of the danger of storms and flooding, whereas a celebration in close by North Port, Florida, was postponed.

There have been widespread flight delays throughout East Coast terminals Thursday night time, with a floor cease or floor delays declared at New York airports, however there have been minimal delays Friday morning.