Bands of major weather featuring torrential rain and high winds triggered flash flooding and tornado warnings across several northeastern US states from Tuesday night into Wednesday, July 29th, 2026. The storms caused power outages affecting hundreds of thousands and disrupted travel, including the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

A 32-year-old man was killed by a lightning strike in Monroe township, New Jersey, on Tuesday afternoon, authorities reported. In Paterson, New Jersey, the fire department rescued at least 20 people, including an elderly woman in a wheelchair.

More than 11 million people from New York northward to the wider New England region remained at risk of serious flash flooding on Wednesday after heavy downpours led to numerous high-water rescues from vehicles and buildings. Cars were reported trapped by floodwaters in upstate New York, prompting flash flood warnings for Albany, Saratoga, Rensselaer, and Schenectady counties.

Up to eight inches of rain was forecast for western Connecticut and western and central Massachusetts on Wednesday and Thursday, with up to 12 inches expected elsewhere, according to AccuWeather. Senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski noted, “While not all of that rain will fall at once, torrential rainfall can persist for several hours in some communities, leading to street flooding and rapid rises on small streams and drainage canals.”

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported that an intense summer "heat dome" affecting tens of millions across the country since before the weekend continued, with extreme heat warnings issued in multiple states. The NWS bulletin on Wednesday warned of a heat index reaching up to 115°F in Texas and Oklahoma, stating, “Dangerous heat continues across the southern US … bringing above normal temperatures through the remainder of the week.”