Yesterday’s high temperature in Seattle was 94°F, breaking the record as the city’s tenth day so far this year with a high temperature at or above 90°F. This brutal July smashed extremes across the Pacific Northwest, shattering record high temperatures and giving many cities their warmest Julys on record.

The southeast is melting under the influence of an unusually brutal early-season heat wave, with temperatures soaring into the upper 90s and low 100s for four days now. Temperatures will moderate somewhat for a day or two this weekend, but the heat is going to crank back up for most of next week.

Once upon a time, it used to get uncomfortably hot in June. Remember those days? It was just a few years ago, but after last year’s cakewalk they called “summer”, this year’s heat is going to seem downright brutal and unforgiving. A heat wave is cranking up in the southeast right now, and it’s going to get ugly.

The ugly heat and humidity of summer is starting to ramp up, and with it comes some silent risks. It’s a habit for many people to leave their children or pets in the car for just a minute so they can run errands. Do not leave your children or pets in a hot vehicle for any length of time, because they will die.

Hey, remember when we all complained that it was freezing just a couple of months ago? Think some of those cool, cool thoughts while we roast in the heat and humidity next week. Temperatures could climb into the 90s as far north as New Jersey, with muggy 80s stretching into New England.

Welcome to May! We are now two-thirds of the way through spring, and right on schedule, the atmosphere has a mini heat wave in the forecast for most of us east of the Rockies. On top of that, models are trying to spin up some sort of a tropical cyclone-ish thing off the East Coast next week.

As we make our way into the sixth weekend of the year, the weather is getting pretty active on either end of the United States. The west is basking in some much-needed rain, while the northeast is getting ready for yet another snowstorm this weekend, all while residents of Denver are wearing shorts.

So long, summer 2014; we hardly knew you. It looks like tomorrow might be the last day of thermometer summer for much of the eastern United States. A cold front marching eastward will bring with it a line of storms followed by a long stretch of blissful autumnal crispness. Hallelujah.

In addition to the excessive heat brought into Ferguson by the authorities, Mother Nature is bringing some of her own. A dangerous combination of heat and humidity prompted forecasters to issue an Excessive Heat Warning until Sunday for the St. Louis area, including Ferguson.

A strong ridge of high pressure is starting to bake the southwestern United States right on schedule for this time of year — with several areas expected to reach the triple digits today — but winter isn't done with the rest of the country yet.