Daily briefing: Severe risk for the Carolinas, extra hot desert

Fire danger continues across the intermountains, and the rain tapers for the East Coast; there could still be some flood risks as the rain eases. All of this, along with today's tropical outlook, is included in the daily briefing, published every weekday at 5 a.m. ET.

The WeatherRadar continues to show substantial activity across the East Coast, especially along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, as one front exits. However, a trough is lingering, and another cold front is expected to bring continued instability, resulting in more showers and isolated storms. The biggest chance for isolated severe storms will be confined to South Carolina and central North Carolina, with damaging winds being the primary risk. Keep in mind that the ground is recently well-saturated from the Chantal rains, so flooding could easily happen.

The heat page is starting to turn across the Rockies and northern Plains. The northern Rockies will transition from above average on Wednesday to slightly below average on Thursday afternoon. At the same time, the Midwest and northern Plains will be the hot spots, with cities like Bismarck expected to reach 96°F on Thursday afternoon. The entire Central Plains will experience temperatures in the mid-90s and very high humidity, which will make these hot temperatures feel even hotter.

The heat is also on across the Four Corners region. Although it is closer to typical heat for the season, considering it is almost mid-July, these are temperatures between 2 and 5 degrees above average. Temperatures will be slightly cooler on Friday afternoon as the winds shift from the southwest and increase in strength.

The Atlantic Basin remains quiet on Thursday and is likely to remain so through the weekend. The latest forecast update from Colorado State University, released this week, shows a slight decrease in this season's potential hurricane activity. The forecast went from hyperactive to slightly above active. This is not a reason to let your guard down. Remember, it only takes one storm to make it a busy season for you.

Make sure to review all of the tools we have available to help you navigate this hurricane season: before, during and after a storm.