Record Heat Brings Summer-Like Temperatures Across East Coast

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:00]This morning, millions of Americans are sweltering in an unseasonably early blast of summer heat.

[00:00:06]>> Oh my god, it's killing me. I'm dying.

[00:00:08]>> Temperatures across the East Coast soaring into the upper 90s, shattering records from Raleigh, North Carolina to Portland, Maine, and sending people searching for any way to cool off.

[00:00:20]>> Splash pad and that's about it.

[00:00:23]>> Some school districts even dismissing students early, especially in buildings without air conditioning. Come to classes, we have to step out, go in the hallway, get some cool, fresh air.

[00:00:31]>> Health officials are warning people to take the extreme heat seriously.

[00:00:35]>> Don't overdo it. Don't overexert yourself. Make sure that you stay hydrated.

[00:00:39]>> While some are heading to the beach days before Memorial Day weekend, a day in the sun taking a scary turn in New York City. Beachgoers forming human chains to assist in the search for a 17-year-old boy missing after going swimming along Rockaway Beach Tuesday. With lifeguards not yet patrolling city beaches until this weekend. Meanwhile, across the country, hot and dry conditions sparking dangerous fires in California. A wildfire raging in Seami Valley. Winds whipping up the flames while first responders raced to battle the blaze.

[00:01:12]Some residents now picking up the pieces, including this community where a camera captured the fire sweeping through earlier this week. We've had so much outpouring of love from the neighbors. I'm going to get emotional now. Everybody's been wonderful.

[00:01:29]>> Some scary scenes out west, but back here with the extreme heat, doctors say when it's so hot and humid, it can mess with your body's ability to regulate temperature. So, make sure you stay hydrated and out of the sun. Now, that may not matter for Memorial Day when things are expected to significantly cool down and get very rainy. Back to you guys.

[00:01:49]>> I know. I mean, can we just have a middle ground, Steph? Thank you. You know what? I I shouldn't bring it up with you. Let's bring it up with Al.

[00:01:54]>> Yeah, it's really all or nothing.

[00:01:56]>> Yeah. What's going on?

[00:01:57]>> Well, you know, we may be wet on the East Coast, but there are going to be a lot of chunks of beautiful weather going into Memorial Day weekend. And if you're part of that, we love you. All right.

[00:02:06]So, we are looking at these heavy showers and thunderstorms, especially down look around Houston. Probably some airport delays there. This is part of a frontal system pushing to the east, bringing some storms later today into the northeast. A flood risk in parts of southern Texas. We move to tomorrow, those showers and storms will continue to soak the southern plains. Possible flash flooding between Texas and Arkansas. We're talking some places picking up to four to five inches of rain in a pretty short period of time.

[00:02:31]Look at these records stretching from Blackburg all the way up to Bangor.

[00:02:35]Behind it though, cooler temperatures going to come in. It's a heat buster as it pushes through. Look at these temperatures. They take a tumble.

[00:02:42]Boston, Baltimore, Detroit below average. Topeka, Kansas, 15 degrees cooler than average. And then as we head toward the weekend, you can see temperatures start to moderate in the midsection of the country, but we are looking for warmer temperatures, I should say cooler temperatures into the northeast with again, guys, more rain and it looks like really pretty much a wash out for a good chunk of the east coast going into the weekend.

[00:03:06]>> All right, Al, thank you so much.

[00:03:08]>> Hey, thanks for watching and don't forget you can catch the Today Show every morning on NBC or take today when you're on the go. Just follow the Today Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen.