Severe storms threaten New York City and Philadelphia with 70 mph winds

Severe thunderstorm watches were in effect from Philadelphia to New York City as forecasters warned that damaging winds could reach 70 mph and that flash flooding was also possible. The threat cut across one of the nation’s busiest urban corridors, where strong winds can quickly knock down trees, take out power and slow commutes as storms move through densely packed neighborhoods and along major transit routes.

The National Weather Service’s Philadelphia/Mount Holly office issued a 5:13 a.m. EDT briefing on July 6, 2026 for eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Showers and thunderstorms brought the risk of additional flash flooding through the afternoon and evening, adding to a severe-weather setup that had already developed across the region.

New Jersey had already seen dangerous conditions as storms moved through, with trees and power lines knocked down. Flash flood warnings were up for parts of New York City, including Brooklyn and Staten Island, along with several counties in New Jersey, as storms fired up again and dumped more rain on ground that had already been hit.

Flooding threats grew along the I-95 corridor, and a severe thunderstorm watch stretched from Virginia into New Jersey. For New York City and Philadelphia, the immediate concerns were downed trees, blocked roads, scattered power outages and flash flooding in low-lying streets and neighborhoods. More showers and thunderstorms were expected through the afternoon and evening.