Damn Nature U Devastating of the Day

Powerful thunderstorms ripped through the mid-Atlantic region overnight Friday, causing 12 deaths and leaving more than three million homes and businesses without power. The National Weather service clocked winds consistently between 60 and 80 miles per hour, with outages affecting areas as far away as Indiana. Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area were hardest hit, with six deaths and 1.3 million homes and businesses without power. The massive power outages couldn't have come at a worse time for a region -- and nation -- mired in a historic heat wave. Triple-digit temperatures have crippled much of the United States, and the National Weather Service issued a severe weather warning for 12 states, from Arizona to New Jersey. Storm and heat-related deaths have also been reported in New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Maryland. [nyt]