A significant tornado watch, spanning over 1,000 miles along the East Coast of the United States, was announced on Monday. This alert comes as a powerful storm system advances northward, posing a substantial threat to the region.

Meteorologists are cautioning that this extensive weather disturbance could unleash tornadoes, strong winds, and sizable hail as it progresses through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The alert has put more than 35 million residents at risk, stretching from the Florida Panhandle, through Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland, reaching as far as Washington, D.C., Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and parts of New York.

The period of greatest concern is anticipated from midday until early evening, with forecasters highlighting that the highest risk for tornadoes in the Mid-Atlantic might occur between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Among the extensive watches, one of the largest covers numerous counties in eastern Virginia, southeastern Maryland, and northeastern North Carolina, remaining effective until approximately 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Additional watches are in place across sections of central North Carolina and coastal regions of the Southeast. Meanwhile, another watch encompasses a significant area of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey, as communities brace for potential severe weather impacts.

Other watches extend across parts of central North Carolina and coastal areas of the Southeast, while another covers a large portion of Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

Forecasters say the storms could rapidly intensify as warm, unstable air collides with a powerful weather system moving across the region.

Residents across the watch area are being urged to closely monitor alerts and have multiple ways to receive warnings as the storms develop.

A massive tornado watch stretching more than 1,000 miles along the US East Coast has been issued on Monday as a dangerous storm system moves north. Pictured is a monster tornado that hit Indiana last week

More than 35 million people from the Florida Panhandle through Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC (PICTURED), Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and parts of New York are under tornado watches

Mayor Muriel Bowser is urging residents to prepare for severe weather expected to impact the city on Monday afternoon.

At the mayor’s direction, the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency has activated the District’s Emergency Operations Center to monitor conditions and coordinate response efforts. 

Meteorologists warned that storms are expected to begin overnight, with ongoing activity as of mid-morning. 

Multiple rounds are expected, reinvigorating in the late morning to afternoon. 

The storm system is already impacting communities across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, with tornado watches issued for more than 50 counties in Virginia alone.

Areas under the watch include major population centers such as Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News and Chesapeake, along with smaller coastal communities stretching along the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. 

Counties in southeastern Maryland, including Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester, are also included in the watch area. 

Farther south, tornado watches extend across large parts of North Carolina, including counties such as Halifax, Wilson, Edgecombe and Wayne.

More than 35 million people from the Florida Panhandle through Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and parts of New York are under tornado watches.

New York City is also in the path of a storm

Meteorologists say the threat is not limited to land areas, as tornado watches also cover several adjacent coastal waters, including portions of the Chesapeake Bay, the York River and the James River, where strong thunderstorms could generate waterspouts or severe wind gusts. 

Additional watches across coastal Florida and southern Georgia include counties such as Duval, Nassau and St Johns in Florida and Camden and Glynn in Georgia.

Storm Prediction Center officials said the wide geographic footprint reflects the strength and scale of the storm system sweeping northward along the East Coast.

In Pennsylvania, tornado watches extend across central counties, including Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York, putting cities such as Harrisburg and Lancaster under alert until around 7pm ET. 

New Jersey counties, including Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Ocean and Monmouth, are also under the same watch, along with Delaware counties such as New Castle, Kent and Sussex.

Parts of the US, like Maryland (PICTURED), are already seeing storms

Forecasters warned the greatest risk will occur during the late afternoon as storms intensify and move northeast. 

The unstable air mass interacting with strong upper-level winds could allow rotating thunderstorms to form, which increases the chance of tornado development. 

In addition to tornadoes, the storms could produce powerful wind gusts capable of knocking down trees and power lines.

Emergency officials said residents should take the watches seriously and remain prepared to seek shelter quickly if warnings are issued. 

Tornado watches mean conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form, while tornado warnings indicate a tornado has been spotted or detected on radar.

The severe weather threat is expected to gradually weaken later Monday evening as the storm system pushes farther north and east. 

However, forecasters cautioned that some strong thunderstorms may linger into the night before the system finally moves offshore. Until then, millions of residents along the East Coast remain under alert for rapidly changing and potentially dangerous weather conditions.