The Pentagon, heaquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, is seen from the air. ((Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images))
(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Southern Command said in a statement that it struck an alleged “narco-trafficking” boat in the Caribbean Sea on Monday, killing two people.
“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” SOUTHCOM wrote in a post to X.
“Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” it added. SOUTHCOM also published a video of the strike on X.
At least 189 people have now been killed by U.S. strikes in Operation Southern Spear.
Fraudsters are posing as ICE officers, immigration lawyers and federal judges. (Evelin Flores)
(NEW YORK) — Twenty-year-old Edith from Guatemala has remained in her home with her 1-year-old baby Justin for weeks after selling her only means of transportation.
“Being stuck at home, locked up inside, is very, very difficult for us,” she told ABC News.
Edith, a U.S. citizen who was raised in Guatemala and requested she only be referred to by her first name out of concern over her privacy, sold her car and spent her life savings to pay someone who she thought was an attorney to help her husband Dimas, who was arrested and placed in immigration custody in March.
After Dimas, the undocumented breadwinner of the family, was quickly sent to a detention center in Georgia, Edith sought an immigration lawyer on social media, where a stranger recommended a supposed Florida-based attorney.
“I was scheduled for a video call, and the woman who said she was a lawyer said that to get someone out of immigration detention, a habeas corpus needed to be filed,” Edith told ABC News.
Edith retained the woman and began communicating with her frequently. She completed documents the woman sent her, and began sending the woman payments. She even received documents that appeared to be from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the federal agency that oversees immigration services.
“She began asking for money, $500, $600, $1,750, $4,000 for the bond, petition, copies [of forms],” Edith said.
But last month, when the woman was scheduled to participate in a video call for Dimas’ initial hearing before an immigration judge, she never appeared on the call. Edith’s husband later told her that the judge said that the attorney wasn’t registered in the court system.
“He said, ‘They’re scamming you,'” Edith said. “I said, ‘But why? Why me?’ I started to feel really bad and I didn’t know what to do.”
After confronting the woman she had hired, Edith realized she had been scammed out of more than $10,000 — her life savings. And with all her money gone, she was unable to pay for a legitimate lawyer to represent her husband, who last month was ordered deported by an immigration judge.
‘A billion-dollar industry’ Edith is one of many victims across the country that law enforcement and immigration lawyers say are being targeted by bad actors seizing on the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda.
Some scammers, according to officials, are using artificial intelligence to hold fake immigration court proceedings with scammers wearing judicial robes and law enforcement uniforms, using fake documents that appear to be from federal agencies.
“In my experience, this is a billion-dollar industry,” said Jorge Rivera, an immigration lawyer in Florida.
Rivera told ABC News that scammers, including the woman who Edith hired, have used his credentials and his law firm’s information to target immigrants.
“[Victims] have shown up to our office and they say, ‘What happened to my case?'” he said.
ABC News found cases of sophisticated immigration scams across the country, including in New York, where five defendants pleaded not guilty to charges accusing them of holding “sham immigration proceedings” including asylum interviews and court appearances.
According to the complaint, one victim ended up missing their real immigration hearing and was deported.
“In doing so, the defendants demonstrated a complete and utter disregard for the potentially life-altering consequences that their actions inflicted on their victims — vulnerable individuals who not only lost significant funds, but also missed their actual immigration court appearances,” prosecutors said.
And last month, four people in Orlando, Florida, were charged with setting up a fake immigration law firm and extorting millions from victims. They have not yet entered formal pleas.
‘It’s heartbreaking’ Rivera said immigration scams have gotten “exponentially worse” during the second Trump administration, because more pathways for immigration relief “have closed.”
“There’s been pauses, there’s more denials, undoubtedly, it’s more difficult to be able to resolve your immigration status,” he said. “So this is a perfect storm for the criminals.”
Rivera said that if those seeking help are “talking to a legitimate attorney and they’re talking to a fraudster, and the fraudster is giving them hope and giving them possibilities, they’re going to go with the person that’s giving them the hope.”
Rivera said he has been working with law enforcement across the country to send them information on alleged scammers, and has been reaching out to social media companies to take down fake profiles.
In a statement to ABC News, the Department of Homeland Security said scammers are also “pretending to be ICE and USCIS to trick people into giving them money or personal information.”
The DHS said that officials will never call out of the blue, demand money, or accept payments using gift cards or crypto currency.
Scammers are also targeting immigrant advocacy groups like Catholic Charities, Kevin Brennan, Catholic Charities’ vice president, told ABC News.
“It’s really been over the past year or so that we started hearing reports of people claiming to be Catholic Charities and other organizations that provide legal services to immigrants and refugees and using social media to fraudulently offer services, express urgency, ask for money,” Brennan told ABC News.
“It’s heartbreaking to see people who are in need and looking for help and being taken advantage of in such a terrible way by these fraudsters and criminals,” he said.
In Edith’s case, the possibility of getting legitimate legal help to try to get her husband released before he’s deported is slipping away. After an immigration judge ordered her husband deported on April 28, he is currently in ICE custody awaiting removal to Guatemala.
Edith said she will likely go to Guatemala to remain with her husband.
“It’s very ugly, and I don’t wish it on anyone else — to a person who is alone and without support,” she said. “This is not easy.”
Stock photo of a colorized electron micrograph of the Hantavirus. (Alfred Pasieka/Science Photo Lib/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A rare rodent-borne disease may be behind an outbreak aboard a cruise ship.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says there has been one laboratory confirmed case and five suspected cases. Of those six people, three have died.
The deaths occurred between April 11 and May 2 and the variant of hantavirus identified in at least one patient who is currently in intensive care, according to the WHO.
The WHO said on Monday that investigations into the deaths and illnesses are ongoing, including further laboratory testing.
The outbreak was reported on the MV Hondius, run by Oceanwide Expeditions, which was traveling between Argentina and the Canary Islands via Cape Verde.
Currently, the ship is off the coast of Cape Verde with 149 people on board representing 23 different nationalities, Oceanwide Expeditions said in a press release on Monday.
Here’s what you need to know about the outbreak, what hantavirus is and how it spreads.
Timeline of the outbreak
South African health officials said in a statement on Monday that the first two deaths occurred in a married couple from the Netherlands. The 70-year-old male passenger became ill first with a fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea. He passed away upon arriving in St. Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, according to the statement.
The deceased passenger’s wife, 69, collapsed at Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport while trying to connect to fly home to the Netherlands, according the country’s department of health. She was taken to a medical facility in nearby Kempton Park, where she also passed away, the statement said.
Another patient, a British national, fell ill while the ship was traveling from St. Helena to Ascension, also a British territory, according to the statement.
“Despite medical treatment provided to him at Ascension, his condition did not improve and necessitated his medical evacuation to a South African private health facility in Sandton for further medical management,” the statement said.
The patient is currently in critical condition in isolation but receiving medical attention, according to health officials, who said his laboratory test results came back positive for hantavirus.
Oceanwide Expeditions said in Monday’s press release that the first death occurred on April 11 and that the company learned of the second death on April 27. The British national also fell in on April 27.
A third passenger of German nationality died on May 2 from causes not yet known, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.
Meanwhile, two crew members – one of British nationality and one of Dutch nationality – are on board the MV Hondius with acute respiratory symptoms. One has a mild illness and one has severe symptoms, with both requiring urgent medical care, Oceanwide Expeditions said, adding that no other people with symptoms have been identified.
The company said that hantavirus has not been confirmed in the two patients still on board the ship, nor has it been confirmed as the cause of the three passenger deaths.
“Strict precautionary measures are in process on board, including isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring. All passengers have been informed and are being supported,” the company said. “We understand the considerable interest and concern and will share new information as soon as it has been verified.”
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreysus said in a post on X on Sunday that the organization is working closely with both member states and ship operators in response to the suspected hantavirus cases.
“WHO is facilitating medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, conducting a full risk assessment, and supporting affected people onboard,” Ghebreysus wrote.
The viruses cause two syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). HPS is mostly found in the Western Hemisphere, including the U.S., and HFRS is mostly found in Europe and Asia.
Surveillance for hantavirus in the U.S. began in 1993 during an outbreak in the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, the CDC said. Between 1993 and the end of 2023, 890 cases of hantavirus disease have been reported in the U.S., according to the CDC.
Hantavirus became more widely known after being identified as the cause of death of the wife of actor Gene Hackman after the couple was found dead at their New Mexico home in February 2025.
How does hantavirus spread?
Hantaviruses are usually spread through rodents, including rats and mice, mostly from exposure to urine, droppings or saliva. Although the viruses can spread through a rodent bite or scratch, such infection is rare, the CDC says.
Hantaviruses may also spread from person to person but that also is rare and only suspected for one subtype from South America, according to the WHO.
What are the hantavirus symptoms?
HPS symptoms typically appear from one to eight weeks after contact with the virus, with early signs including fever, fatigue and muscle aches, according to the CDC. Half of HPS patients will experience headaches, chills, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
The CDC says that between four and 10 days after the initial phase of illness, the late symptoms will appear, including coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest as the lungs fill with fluid.
About 38% of people who develop HPS respiratory symptoms may die from the disease, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of HFRS usually develop one to two weeks after exposure and typically include intense headaches, fever, chills, back pain, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, the CDC says.
Later symptoms may include low blood pressure, lack of blood flow, internal bleeding and acute kidney failure. Depending on the virus causing the infection, fatality among infected humans can range from less than 1% to as high as 15%, the CDC says.
What hantavirus treatments are available?
No specific treatment is available for hantavirus infection, with the CDC recommending patients receive supportive care such as rest, hydration and treatment of symptoms.
Because HPS can cause breathing difficulties, patients may need breathing support, such as intubation, the CDC says.
Because HFRS can disrupt kidney function, infected patients may need dialysis to remove toxins from the blood, according to the CDC.
Craig Berry is seen in an undated photo released by the Stewart County Sheriff’s Office. (Stewart County Sheriff’s Office)
(TENNESSEE) — A manhunt is underway in Tennessee for a man with “extensive” survival training who is accused of shooting his wife then fleeing into the woods, authorities said.
Local, state and federal authorities are involved in the search for Craig Berry, who is wanted for second-degree attempted murder, according to the Stewart County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to a domestic altercation at his residence in Dover around 1:30 a.m. on May 1, according to Stewart County Sheriff’s Office. Berry fled into the woods near his home after allegedly shooting his wife and was gone before deputies arrived, authorities said.
His wife was transported to a medical facility, according to the sheriff’s office, which did not provide details on her condition.
The sheriff’s office said Berry is very familiar with the area and warned it could be a “lengthy process” to capture him.
“Berry is a retired special forces veteran and has extensive training in survival tactics,” Stewart County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Paulette Redman said in a statement on Monday. “He is an excellent swimmer and diver, and is in good physical shape.”
Berry is armed with “at least one handgun” and may have taken extra ammunition, according to Redman. He is not believed to have any phone or other means of communication on him, she said.
Berry was captured by a trail camera wearing camouflage clothing, the sheriff’s office said while releasing the photo.
“We are not ruling out the possibility that he has received some outside assistance after the incident,” Redman said.
The U.S. Marshals Service, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are assisting in the search, the sheriff’s office said.
There is no information indicating that he is no longer in the area, the sheriff’s office said Monday.
He was last seen near River Trace Road, and authorities are conducting a “very detailed search” of the area from River Trace Road to Highway 79 to parts of Highway 232 this week, the sheriff’s office said Monday.
The sheriff’s office advised residents to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.
US President Donald Trump during an executive order signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding access to retirement plans for workers whose employers don’t offer that benefit, seeking to refocus the administration’s messaging on economic issues. (Photographer: Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — With Iranian forces attacking commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and oil infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates, President Donald Trump on Monday stopped short of saying the U.S.-Iran ceasefire has been violated.
“[It was] not heavy firing,” Trump said in a phone call with ABC News when asked if the ceasefire had been violated. “We’ll let you know. Ships are moving. You know, we moved quite a few last night — big ones. There was no firing. I guess there has been some recently. I’m looking into it.”
Over the past several hours, Iran fired on a South Korean ship near the Strait of Hormuz, and fired missiles and drones on the UAE. Plus, according to CENTCOM, U.S. forces fired on six Iranian fast boats and intercepted several Iranian missiles and drones.
Trump told ABC that “Iran “better hope [the ceasefire] remains in effect. The best thing that can happen to them is that we keep it in effect.”
And what happens if the ceasefire is broken?
“I’ll let you know, like I’ll let everyone else know,” the president said. “We just heard about this, and we’ll find out about it. What should happen is South Korea should get involved. It was a South Korean ship that got hit. And I would think, if you have a ship that’s hit, you should immediately send some people.”
“Right now, we we’re being very nice. We’re taking care of the world,” Trump added.
On the Iran’s firing of missiles and drones at the UAE, Trump said “they were shot down for the most part.”
“One got through. Not huge damage,” he said.
So we shouldn’t overreact?
“Overreacting is very bad for them,” Trump said. “Not for me.”
And what does this all mean about the prospects for ending the war?
“We have it under control,” Trump said. “One way or the other, we win. And you know why, Jon? I always win. You found that out a long time ago.”
The xc released an image on April 29, 2026, it said was of suspect Cole Allen taking a selfie of himself in his hotel room before allegedly trying to breach security at the event while armed with multiple weapons. (Department of Justice)
(WASHINGTON) — A federal magistrate judge expressed deep concern Monday with the post-arrest treatment of the California man charged for allegedly attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at last month’s White House correspondents’ dinner and whether he has faced overly restrictive conditions that were “extremely disturbing.”
Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui convened a hearing on Monday after attorneys for Cole Allen, 31, requested over the weekend that he be removed from suicide watch at the Washington, D.C., jail facility.
Even though Allen’s attorneys later moved to withdraw that request after they were informed he was taken off suicide watch, Faruqui ordered the hearing, citing “grave concerns” about the treatment Allen has faced.
The judge said some of Cole’s restrictions entailed being placed into a padded cell, with no access to phone calls, books or recreational time. Faruqui also raised the issue of sleep deprivation, noting that Cole had “constant lighting.”
In a heated line of questioning with a representative from D.C.’s Department of Corrections, Faruqui probed why it seemed that Allen had faced much harsher treatment since his arrest than many of those charged with participating in violence during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol who were granted transfers to D.C.’s less-restrictive Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF).
“People seem to have forgotten about Jan. 6 — I have not,” Faruqui said. “Pardons may erase convictions, but they do not erase history. I had many, you know, there was — easily right — dozens, if not more, of people that had firearms that day… People got closer to killing the president that day, they were hanging gallows outside of the front of the Capitol building.”
“I’m just trying to understand, why is there this great difference between Mr. Allen’s situation and what happened there, where they were given the benefit of the treatment going over to CTF,” Faruqui said. “If we were able to house all the January 6 defendants at CTF, why Mr. Allen doesn’t have that same benefit as someone without a criminal history?”
Faruqui claimed Allen was being treated “differently than anyone I’ve ever observed” including accused terrorists, gang members and others facing charges of political violence.
At one point during the hearing, Faruqui apologized to Allen for the conditions he has faced.
“We are obligated to make sure that you’re treated with the basic decency that human beings should have, let alone a presumed innocent person,” Faruqui said. “So I’m sorry. It sounds like things have not been the way that they’re supposed to.”
In trying to give some clarity over the initial move to put Allen under suicide watch, assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine noted to Faruqui that after his arrest Allen did tell FBI agents that he did not expect to survive the attempted assassination. She further noted that in his email he sent to family and others just before carrying out the attack, he mentioned not likely being able to speak to them again.
“I think coming into this, Mr. Allen traveled across country, a great distance over several days to commit this attack and it was clear at the time he committed the attack did not expect to survive it,” Ballantine said. “Which I think certainly initially gives rise to serious concerns about the potential for suicide.”
An attorney for the D.C. Dept of Corrections, Tony Towns, said at the hearing that decisions regarding Allen’s confinement conditions were intended to address safety concerns, and not intended to punish him.
Faruqui instructed Allen’s defense attorneys to keep him updated on the progress of his conditions, though Faruqui also acknowledged he had little in the way of power to compel D.C. Corrections to ease restrictions on his confinement.
Elbert Tse plays golf at the East Potomac Golf Links on May 3, 2026, in Washington, DC. Reports were circulating that the administration planned to take over operations of the popular municipal golf course as soon as Sunday evening, even as officials have offered few details to the public or the course’s current operator.(Photo by Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge on Monday warned Justice Department lawyers of “serious consequences” if the Trump administration begins major work at a public golf course in the District of Columbia without getting approval and notifying the court in advance.
During a tense conference on Monday morning, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes demanded she be updated if work begins at the East Potomac Golf Course, and raised concerns about claims made by the Trump administration regarding the state of the course.
“Let’s just say, given some issues around the district recently, I would have a particular concern that we not ask first and ask forgiveness later, because that’s not going to be acceptable,” she said.
Concerns arose in December that the administration may try to take over the course as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to leave his imprint on various D.C. buildings, after the administration terminated the lease of the group that runs the course.
The dispute over East Potomac Golf Course flared up over the weekend after lawyers for the D.C. Preservation League warned that the property would be “razed” by the Trump administration before anyone could stop it, citing the rapid demolition of the White House’s East Wing. In an order late Sunday, Judge Reyes required lawyers to appear for an unusually early Monday morning conference to ensure major work had not begun.
“Without emergency preliminary relief, they will continue running roughshod over both East Potomac Park and the law until the golf course and the Park have met the East Wing’s fate,” the plaintiffs argued.
During the conference, a DOJ lawyer argued that the work done to the course was limited to identifying dead or dying trees for removal, which appeared to resolve some of Judge Reyes’ concerns. DOJ lawyers said they were unaware of reported fundraising by Trump to renovate the course — though they said such communications would be “very sensitive issues of executive limited privilege” — and Kevin Greiss, the Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, said he was unaware of any closures.
“I don’t want anything major to happen without plaintiffs saying ‘Got it’ or someone identifying or talking to me first,” she said. “I don’t want to be the overseer of the Parks and Rec. I mean, I’m no Amy Poehler.”
But as Judge Reyes appeared ready to conclude the hearing, her clerk handed her a note that renewed her concerns.
“I just got a note from Clerk I need to look at real quick,” she said. “It looks like there were signs on the golf course yesterday that there were closures. Were there any closures yesterday?”
“Not that I am aware of, ma’am,” responded Kevin Greiss, the Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks. “I didn’t order any signs put up. I can’t attest to those signs or who may have put them up. There’s been no closure order.”
While Greiss checked with his maintenance staff to confirm if the course was open, Judge Reyes warned DOJ lawyers of “serious consequences” if major construction begins without appropriate notice.
“I’m going to say this one more time, and I do not want a situation where something has happened and then I’m being told by the government or by a foundation or by a bulldozing company that it’s too late to do anything about it,” she said. “If anything like that happens … there are going to be serious consequences.”
Greiss followed up to say that he checked with his maintenance staff — who said they were unaware of the closures — but were still looking for the signs. The hearing concluded with Judge Reyes ordering that the Trump administration get approval and notify the court before beginning any construction work.
When reached by ABC News, a staff member at East Potomac Golf Course’s pro shop said the course was open for business Monday.
“Until they shut us down, we are still here,” he said.
The National Links Trust, which operates East Potomac Golf Course, said Monday in a statement on X, “While we continue to monitor developments surrounding third-party litigation, East Potomac Golf Links is open for business. We will provide updates as they become available. Thank you to our community for their continued support.”
(EDMOND, Okla.) — At least 23 people were injured in a shooting that erupted Sunday night during what police alleged was a “unsanctioned” lakeside party in Edmond, Oklahoma, that had been advertised on social media and drew a large crowd of young adults.
The shooting occurred at around 9 p.m. at Arcadia Lake in Edmond, about 14 miles north of Oklahoma City, Emily Ward, a spokesperson for the Edmond Police Department, said during a conference Sunday night.
On Monday, Edmond police officials said the number of victims injured in the shooting grew from 13 to 23 as more showed up at emergency rooms on their own.
The victims’ injuries ranged in severity, including gunshot wounds, police said.
According to Integris Health, victims treated for injuries at its Edmond and Oklahoma City hospitals ranged in age from 16 to 30.
No arrests have been announced, but police said in a statement Monday that “investigators are actively working the case and are not releasing suspect information at this time.”
“The incident occurred during an unsanctioned party that began after dark and was advertised across multiple social media platforms, drawing a large crowd of young adults from across the metro area. The event was not a permitted or reserved gathering,” according to the statement.
Edmond police officers responded to Arcadia Lake and the nearby Scissortail Campground after receiving multiple 911 calls from people reporting shots fired.
“There is no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat to the public,” according a police statement on Monday.
Seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect, police asked that anyone with information about the shooting contact the Edmond Police Department immediately.
(EDMOND, Okla.) — At least 23 people were injured in a shooting that erupted Sunday night during what police alleged was a “unsanctioned” lakeside party in Edmond, Oklahoma, that had been advertised on social media and drew a large crowd of young adults.
The shooting occurred at around 9 p.m. at Arcadia Lake in Edmond, about 14 miles north of Oklahoma City, Emily Ward, a spokesperson for the Edmond Police Department, said during a conference Sunday night.
On Monday, Edmond police officials said the number of victims injured in the shooting grew from 13 to 23 as more showed up at emergency rooms on their own.
The victims’ injuries ranged in severity, including gunshot wounds, police said.
According to Integris Health, victims treated for injuries at its Edmond and Oklahoma City hospitals ranged in age from 16 to 30.
No arrests have been announced, but police said in a statement Monday that “investigators are actively working the case and are not releasing suspect information at this time.”
“The incident occurred during an unsanctioned party that began after dark and was advertised across multiple social media platforms, drawing a large crowd of young adults from across the metro area. The event was not a permitted or reserved gathering,” according to the statement.
Edmond police officers responded to Arcadia Lake and the nearby Scissortail Campground after receiving multiple 911 calls from people reporting shots fired.
“There is no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat to the public,” according a police statement on Monday.
Seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect, police asked that anyone with information about the shooting contact the Edmond Police Department immediately.
High temperatures for Monday, May 4, 2026. (ABC News)
(NEW YORK) — Millions of people across the country are buckling up for wild temperature swings of up to 30 degrees this week.
The roller-coaster-like dips and highs in temperatures across most of the nation will come amid a late-season snowstorm in Denver and Rocky Mountains. An Illinois dust storm threat could reduce visibility to less than a quarter of a mile.
Whiplash temperature swings
On Monday, temperatures will be above average across much of the Midwest and Northwest, and below average in California and southwest Arizona.
Temperatures are expected to climb to 80 on Monday from Chicago to Kansas City — making it 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year.
Oklahoma City and Dallas are forecast to be in the mid-80s on Monday. Meanwhile, California’s Bay Area and Los Angeles are expected to be in the mid-60s on Monday — 5 to 10 degrees below average for the first week of May.
But on Tuesday, temperatures are expected to dramatically drop across parts of the Midwest, including Chicago, which is forecast to see a 20-degree decline, and Denver with a 30-degree decline.
Severe storms are also possible on Tuesday from Dallas to Jonesboro, Arkansas, with the main threats expected to be large hail, damaging wind and possible isolated tornadoes. On Wednesday, severe weather moves across east Texas and into central Alabama, bringing damaging wind, large hail, possible tornadoes and the risk of flash flooding.
New York City, Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, North Carolina, are expected to top 80 degrees on Tuesday — which is 5 to 15 degrees above average for this time of the year.
On Wednesday, a rush of cold air is expected to bring widespread below-average temperatures across the Midwest and Great Lakes.
By Friday, cooler-than-normal temperatures spread across the East and South, while the West goes above average with highs near 100 for Phoenix and Las Vegas, while only reaching the 60s in New York City and Washington, D.C., and the 50s in Boston.
Snow in Colorado
The Colorado Rocky Mountains have received a record-low snowpack this winter. But a late-season snowstorm expected in the area beginning Monday and running through Wednesday could bring a foot to 2 feet of much-needed snow to the Rockies.
Winter storm alerts are in place for parts of Colorado and Wyoming through Wednesday. The heaviest snow is forecast to fall on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Denver metro area could see 3 to 9 inches of snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The pending storm is already making an impact on America’s favorite summer pastime — baseball. The start time of Monday’s game in Denver between the New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies has been moved up three hours to 3:40 p.m. MT due to potential snow.
Blowing dust in Illinois
A rare blowing dust advisory has been issued in Illinois, including the Chicago area. Blowing dust was already an issue in Central Illinois on Sunday.
Visibility of less than a quarter mile is possible on Monday in some agricultural areas of the region.
It’s only the second time in history that the National Weather Service (NWS) office based in Chicago has issued a blowing dust advisory. The first advisory was on May 16, 2025, when a large dust storm caused visibility to drop to near zero and wind gusts rose to 60 mph in Chicago and across the area, according to the NWS.
