The Summer solstice occurs at 10:42 p.m. ET today, but summer's hot mess is already spreading across more of the U.S. as early-season extreme heat takes hold. The hot weather does bring some stormy relief to parts of the northern U.S. The Weather & Radar daily briefing is published every weekday at 5 a.m. ET with the latest U.S. forecast and updated tropical information.

The first significant heat wave is building across the central and eastern U.S. A strong southerly flow, as seen on the WindRadar, is sending hot and humid air northward. Add in the blazing summer sunshine, and today's high temperatures will rise into the 90s, with a few triple digits seen in the western high Plains. A few storms will fire across the Dakotas.

The TemperatureRadar shows the hot weather expanding eastward through the weekend. Today's highs in the 80s and low 90s are just a preview of the low to mid-90s this weekend throughout the East Coast.

The Rockies and Mountain West will remain hot. However, a chill will settle across the Northwest and northern California as a cold front brings some rain, thunderstorms and clouds. Highs in the Northwest will be in the 60s and low 70s, while the rest of the West is in the 80s. The Desert Southwest will be in the 90s and triple digits.

The Atlantic remains quiet while the remnants of Erick sweep across southwestern Mexico, bringing more rain and mudslide risk.

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