Americans have packed beaches and lakes for Memorial Day weekend, often flouting restrictions imposed to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.
In Florida, state police dispersed an unauthorized gathering of hundreds of people in Daytona Beach on May 23.
In Missouri, bars at the Lake of the Ozarks were packed with revelers, who violated social-distancing rules.
Image source: nps.gov
Coronavirus task force chief Dr. Deborah Birx said she was “very concerned” after seeing such scenes.
Dr. Birx said on ABC’s This Week on May 24: “We really want to be clear all the time that social distancing is absolutely critical. And if you can’t social distance and you’re outside, you must wear a mask.”
St Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said: “It’s irresponsible and dangerous to engage in such high risk behavior just to have some fun over the extended holiday weekend.
“Now, these folks will be going home to S. Louis and counties across Missouri and the Midwest, raising concerns about the potential of more positive cases, hospitalizations, and tragically, deaths. Deeply disturbing.”
In Tampa area, Florida, the crowds were so big that authorities closed parking lots because they were full, the Associated Press reports.
In California, big crowds were seen enjoying beaches over the weekend. State officials said most people were covering their faces and keeping their distance on beaches and parks.
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer.
The US has more coronavirus cases than anywhere in the world. It has over 1.6 million known infection and is nearing 100,000 deaths linked to the virus.
All 50 US states have now partially reopened after a two-month shutdown. However, remaining restrictions vary across the country.
Wide discrepancies also remain between states in terms of infection rates and the pace of their economic restart.
Some of the hardest-hit states, including New Jersey, New York and Washington are now showing the sharpest declines, while majority of states have reached plateaus.
It seems Katy Perry and John Mayer are dating again as the singers were spotted spending their Memorial Day weekend in Disneyland.
According to reports, John Mayer and Katy Perry had a blast with friends as they rode on some of the park’s rides.
The singers also grabbed dinner at Disneyland’s super-exclusive Club 33 after staying right until the park closed.
Even though Katy Perry and John Mayer have not confirmed they are a couple again, the two have been spotted out together several times in the past few months.
Katy Perry and John Mayer sparked dating rumors in January after they were spotted grabbing dinner at a mutual friend’s house in Los Angeles. They were also seen together at different events in the next months.
The Washington Mall and the Pentagon rumbled with a quarter of millions of motorcycles on Sunday as Rolling Thunder rumbled into the capital.
Rolling Thunder is an annual motorcycle rally that is held in Washington, DC during the Memorial Day weekend to call for the government’s recognition and protection of Prisoners of War (POWs) and those Missing in Action (MIAs). The tribute to American war heroes started out in 1988 with 2,500 participants.
Some 900,000 riders, passengers and spectators traveled from across the country for Memorial Day weekend to pay tribute to veterans and those stilling missing in action.
The annual event started in 1988, when the Vietnam War was still fresh on the nation’s mind.
The first year, 2,500 motorcyclist rode into Washington as a way to remember the thousands of men who were missing in action or believed still held as prisoners of war.
The Washington Mall and the Pentagon rumbled with a quarter of millions of motorcycles on as Rolling Thunder rumbled into the capital
Rolling Thunder has since become an institution.
Motorcycle clubs from across the country flood the capital’s hotels and suburban campgrounds.
Every sort of bike imaginable is represented – from vintage Indians to the newest Harley Davidsons to custom choppers and BMWs.
The mighty procession began in the parking lot of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, at 7 a.m.
The parade route took the thundering motorcycles past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean Veterans Memorial and the World War II Veterans Memorial.
The Washington Monument and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial are other prominent sights along the route.
The motorcycle parade ends on the banks of the Potomac River on the National Mall.
The event also features Thunder Alley in downtown Washington DC, which features vendors selling all manner of stickers, pins and patches to commemorate Rolling Thunder.
Memorial Day weekend may be the unofficial start to the American summer but this year you can forget the beach or the backyard BBQ as the weather is expected to feel more like Veterans Day.
Parts of the northeastern United States are expected to feel more like winter and forecasters have suggested snow could be possible in some parts of northern Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont.
New England will be experiencing some wintry weather across the weekend, with snowfall at higher elevations on Sunday night.
Snow was reported in western parts of New York State, south of Buffalo and several viewers on the Facebook Pennsylvania Storm Chasers also reported seeing snowflakes.
Snow and frost anywhere in the Northeast sounds rare for late May, but it has happened before.
Flakes fell in Maine in June 2009 and up to 10 inches in New England on May 26th 1967.
Memorial Day weekend may be the unofficial start to the American summer but this year’s weather is expected to feel more like Veterans Day
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for parts of Massachusetts and Texas on Friday as much of the country continued to be hit by miserable weather.
One Maine meteorologist, Keith Carson of WCSH Portland, sounded sheepish.
“Accumulation will be light but..ummm…it’s Memorial Day so we shouldn’t even be having this conversation,” he wrote.
The Tri-State area was also hit by heavy rainfall and thunderstorms throughout the night.
“Unfortunately I don’t have good news on the weather front” said Ross Dickman, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service.
“It’s not going to be a beach day on Saturday. We’re going to have rain showers extending into the weekend with a cold northeasterly wind. Temperatures may not get out of the mid-to-upper 50s.”
All is not lost for those looking to salvage the holiday weekend. Conditions should begin to clear on Sunday and Memorial Day is shaping up to be just about perfect.
Ross Dickman said temperatures should rebound into the upper 70s under sunny skies by the time Monday afternoon arrives.
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