East Coast storms

Millions of people in a swath of states along the East Coast and farther west went into a third sweltering day without power on Monday after a round of summer storms that killed more than a dozen people. The outages left many to contend with stifling homes and spoiled food over the weekend as temperatures approached or exceeded 100 degrees. Around 2 million customers from North Carolina to New Jersey and as far west as Illinois were without power and utility officials said the power would likely be out for several more days. Since Friday, severe weather has been blamed for at least 22 deaths, most from trees falling on homes and cars.

Section:Gallery

Mon., July 2, 2012

A broken section of a utility pole dangles from cables on Saturday, June 30, 2012 after a fast moving storm caused power outages in southern New Jersey.

Vernon Ogrodnek Associated Press
Using crutches, Cooper Scott talks about the car where he and his mother were trapped in Lynchburg, Va. Saturday, June 30, 2012 after a large oak tree fell on them during the storm the night before. Both spent most of the night in the hospital but were back at home by Saturday morning.

Parker Michels-Boyce Associated Press
A two-alarm fire started by a lightning strike from a thunderstorm late Friday night engulfs a home north of Frederick, Md., early Saturday, June 30, 2012. The fire was reported at about 11:45 p.m., Friday during a storm system that went through the area. There were numerous reports of trees and power lines down in the area from the storms.

Sam Yu Associated Press
Downed and leaning power lines near Atlantic City, N.J. on Sunday, July 1, 2012. Clean up continues after the severe weekend thunderstorms that damaged the area.

Ben Fogletto Associated Press
Marcia McCloud (right) and her great-granddaughter Makayla Milton, find some comfort together at the Red Cross cooling shelter at Sandusky Middle School in Lynchburg, Va., July 1, 2012. Milton was visiting her great-grandmother Friday when the storm hit and the two were forced to find other shelter. McCloud explained, "It's like a vacation, vacation away from home!"

Parker Michels-Boyce Associated Press
Mike Wolfe's pick-up truck lies under a fallen tree in front of his house after a severe storm in Falls Church, Va., Saturday, June 30, 2012. Wolfe's daughter created the 'for sale' sign as a joke.

Cliff Owen Associated Press
A letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service delivers mail to a residence in Washington, Monday, July 2, 2012, damaged by the powerful storm that swept through the region Friday.

Evan Vucci Associated Press
Frances Lukens looks at the tangle of boards and tree limbs piercing her living room ceiling in Lynchburg, Va. on Saturday, June 30, 2012 after a huge oak tree fell directly on the house during a storm the previous night.

Parker Michels-Boyce Associated Press
Residents of Alexandria, Va., pick-up free ice at a Harris Teeter grocery store Sunday, July 1, 2012. The number of Virginians without electricity following the recent storm is coming down. About 769,500 customers of the state's two major electric utilities, Dominion and Appalachian Power, remained without service Saturday afternoon. That's down from a peak of more than 1.2 million earlier in the day.

Cliff Owen Associated Press
Melinda Webb gestures toward the trees that fell in her mother's yard on Sunday, July 1, 2012, after severe storms rolled through Elm City, N.C. Intense storms fueled by temperatures exceeding 100 degrees for a third straight day are leaving thousands in North Carolina without power, or access to air conditioning.

Brad Coville Associated Press
Lighting flashes Saturday morning, June 30, 2012, in Hebron, Md. Violent storms swept across the eastern U.S., killing at least nine people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands on a day that temperatures across the region are expected to reach triple-digits.

Kristin Roberts Associated Press