The Nation : Lightning From Northeast Storms Blamed in 2 Deaths

Thunderstorms swept Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi and lingered in the Northeast where lightning killed two people, including a pregnant woman electrocuted in Montezuma, N.Y., while holding a telephone as lightning struck a phone line. More thunderstorms occurred in New York state, Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and western New England, the National Weather Service said. Severe thunderstorms moved out of Texas across Louisiana into Mississippi, producing large hail and high winds, with more severe weather expected in the Gulf Coast region, forecasters said. A few showers and thunderstorms lingered along the southern Atlantic coast. Memphis, Tenn., had nearly an inch of rain, with a half inch at Altoona, Pa., and Lincoln, Neb., the weather service said. Showers and scattered thunderstorms were reported over much of Arkansas and Missouri. Showers were prevalent across the central half of the plains.