Weather

Hot, largely dry weather to dominate the Heartland

A Western warming trend will continue, with above-normal temperatures returning across much of the Four Corners region during the holiday weekend. General warmth will across cover the central and eastern U.S., although Midwestern high temperatures will remain mostly below 95º. Meanwhile, temperatures may occasionally top the 100-degree mark across the central and southern High Plains.

During the next several days, little or no rain will fall west of the Rockies, in central and southern Texas, and across the Ohio Valley and lower Great Lakes region. In contrast, 5-day rainfall totals could reach 2 to 4 inches from Louisiana to Florida and in parts of the Dakotas. In addition, drought-affected areas of New England may experience some drought relief.

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for the likelihood of near- or above-normal temperatures nationwide, except for cooler-than-normal conditions in northern California, the northern Great Basin, and the Northwest.

Meanwhile, near- or below-normal rainfall across most of the country should contrast with wetter-than-normal weather in parts of the Southeast and from the northern Plains into the upper Great Lakes region.