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Flood evacuations on East Coast; dangerous heat in South

By Susan McFarland

July 24 (UPI) -- Heavy rains pounded parts of the East Coast Tuesday, where some areas have been evacuated to get people out of the path of possible danger.

Showers and thunderstorms will stream across the Carolinas and into the Northeast, forecasters said. With grounds already saturated from weekend rain, forecasters said flash flooding risks stretch from coastal North Carolina northward to southern New York state.

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Authorities issued evacuations early Tuesday east of Harrisburg, Pa. Flash flooding in eastern Pennsylvania Monday prompted a number of water rescues in Pine Grove and near Hamlin, and led officials to declare nearby Tremont a disaster area.

Flooding also forced the state's famous Hershey Park to close Monday. The amusement park said it could re-open on Tuesday if the weather lightens up.

Southeastern Pennsylvania over the weekend saw flash floods and sinkholes were spotted in Maryland.

The National Weather Service said an EF-0 tornado touched down Sunday evening in Heidelberg Township, Pa., causing damage to trees and a barn roof.

The area is expected to get more rain Wednesday, but the majority of heavy rainfall will shift into the Northeast and portions of New England. By Thursday, a cold front expected across the East Coast should end chances of rain, the NWS said.

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Meanwhile in the South, dangerous heat in the southern Plains have tapered a bit, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees and extreme heat a danger in the desert Southwest, parts of California and the Pacific Northwest.

The forecast in Phoenix Tuesday is for temperatures above 115 degrees. The Northwest will reach the mid-to-upper 90s and 100 in some areas, and the dry heat will elevate wildfire conditions in California.

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