Daily briefing: Autumn taste arrives

An autumn preview is settling across large parts of the central and eastern U.S. today even while the West and the South remains locked in summer. These details, along with our daily tropical outlook, are published every weekday at 5 a.m. ET.

The first big taste of drier and cooler autumn air has spread across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Midwest, northern and central Plains this past weekend. Today's high temperatures will be in the 70s in Kansas City, Chicago and Pittsburgh, while Minneapolis and parts of the Upper Midwest will struggle to climb into the 60s as clouds and a passing shower will be possible. The East Coast will be in the 80s, but lower humidity will make it feel comfortable.

The South won't be so lucky with the cooler weather. Highs will be in the 90s from Texas to the Southeast, with a few spots in central Texas topping 100 degrees. A few storms will develop throughout the afternoon, especially across Oklahoma, along the Gulf Coast and throughout southern Florida.

The Interior West will be hot with summer thunderstorms popping up throughout the afternoon. Highs will be in the 90s, with a few triple digits in the Desert Southwest. California and the Northwest will be dry, with highs in the 80s and 90s.

Tropical Storm Fernand formed over the weekend and is currently east of Bermuda. This storm will not impact land and is expected to dissipate by the end of the week. A weak tropical wave will produce some gusty winds for the Leeward Islands this morning, but development is not expected.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season starts to ramp up in August and September. Learn more about how our hurricane alerts work here.