Flooding in East, heat in West: Double whammy hits US

Show Caption Hide Caption Several parts of Pennsylvania hit with major flooding Flooding caused evacuations in several towns and tourist attractions like Hershey Park to close.

Heavy rains pounded much of the Mid-Atlantic and deep into upstate New York for a fifth day, bringing little relief to the waterlogged region Wednesday.

Meanwhile, across the nation, almost 40 million people from Washington state to Arizona were dealing with a dangerous heat wave, the National Weather Service said.

Some of the worst rain and flooding Wednesday was in central Pennsylvania, closing roads and businesses, sending creeks and streams spilling over their banks and requiring rescues and evacuations.

July rainfall records were set in both Williamsport and Harrisburg, most of it falling since Saturday morning.

“We’ve experienced what we call an atmospheric river, which is where the pattern sets up and creates a fire hose, bringing moisture from the Atlantic,” said John Banghoff, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College.

Overall, about 30 million people have been under a cloud of flood watches for days, most of them in the East, as almost a quarter of the nation struggled with a double whammy of overwhelming waters or excessive heat.

Weather service radar Wednesday afternoon showed bands of moderate to heavy rainfall with embedded thunderstorms extending from eastern North Carolina across Virginia and into Maryland, central Pennsylvania and central and western New York state.

This week's rain pushed Baltimore to its wettest July on record, with more than a foot of rain this month. Washington, D.C., could also set a record for its rainiest July by next week.

The highest total from the storm so far was the 16.55 inches that's fallen in Dunkirk, Maryland.

Fortunately, much of the East can expect a break from the soggy, tropical weather pattern by this weekend, AccuWeather said. However, tropical downpours are likely to return next week.

More: 40 million in West face scorching heat; 30 million under flood watch in East

More: Historic, deadly heat wave slams Japan with blistering temperatures

In the West, south-central Arizona, including the entire Phoenix metropolitan area was under an excessive heat warning. Temperatures on Wednesday were forecast to reach 116 degrees in some areas.

Death Valley will see highs above 120 the next couple of days, with nighttime temperatures dropping to only about 100.

Southern California also was locked in a pattern of triple-digit temperatures, and people were urged to ease off air conditioners and other appliances during peak power usage from 5-9 p.m.

Temperatures will begin to moderate by Friday, the weather service said, although they will still be above the century mark in portions of southern California and the Southwest.

Contributing: The Associated Press