We begin tonight with the majority of the country facing hot and humid temperatures from the Midwest to the Northeast, ninety-seven million Americans across thirty-six states will see temperatures at or above ninety degrees. The official start of summer doesn’t come for another three weeks, but it already feels like it in cities from Decatur, Illinois, to Burlington, Vermont, which set new records highs today. Health officials are urging residents to check in on their neighbors, especially the elderly, who may not have air conditioning. In the Gulf of Mexico, Tropical Storm Arlene became the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season as it heads South towards Cuba. Florida residents in the southern part of the state could see several inches of rain through Saturday.

As the Northeast and Midwest sizzled, a raging wildfire in New Jersey caused thick smoke that shut down the Garden State Parkway for a twenty-five-mile stretch before reopening. For nearly one hundred million people across the country, high temperatures are the issue. From Maine to Missouri, people tried to keep cool from the scorching sun. In Buffalo, the temperature hit ninety-one degrees. It was one of many cities to open cooling centers. While some chilled out here, others took to the water for relief. Philadelphia hit ninety-four degrees and enacted an excessive heat protocol, closing ninety public schools early that did not have air conditioning. Schools in Baltimore and Detroit also let students out early. It’s a different weather situation in Texas today. A tornado touched down in the western part of the state. No injuries were reported but a tornado watch remains in effect. West Texas could see flash flooding today. A local disaster was declared in Amarillo yesterday afternoon floodwater from a nearby lake inundated some homes and submerged vehicles.