Hot Weather Western United States

Searing heat across most of the nation was punctuated by thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast, from Lake Michigan to the central Appalachians and over part of the Rockies, where temperatures hit record highs along the eastern edge. High winds downed trees and power lines west of Philadelphia, Miss., and damaged several farm buildings. South Bend, Ind., got 3.65 inches of rain, enough to cause street flooding. Houston got a half-inch of rain in 20 minutes.

A third day of soaring temperatures and spiking electricity demand in the West continued to strain the state's power grid Wednesday, sending sparks all the way to the White House. U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson told Congress that he is concerned that California may be hit by more rolling blackouts like the unprecedented power losses that rippled through Northern California on June 14.

A third day of soaring temperatures and spiking electricity demand in the West continued to strain the state's power grid Wednesday, sending sparks all the way to the White House. U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson told Congress that he is concerned that California may be hit by more rolling blackouts like the unprecedented power losses that rippled through Northern California on June 14.

Even as the conflagrations that ravaged Southern California were burning out, fire officials predicted that the West could face an unusually severe fire season this summer, pushing firefighters to their limits and stretching equipment perilously thin. Jack Wilson, director of the Boise Interagency Fire Center, said Saturday that conditions are "extremely dangerous" in drought-stricken California.

Even as the conflagrations that ravaged Southern California were burning out, fire officials predicted that the West could face an unusually severe fire season this summer, pushing firefighters to their limits and stretching equipment perilously thin. Jack Wilson, director of the Boise Interagency Fire Center, said Saturday that conditions are "extremely dangerous" in drought-stricken California.

Searing heat across most of the nation was punctuated by thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast, from Lake Michigan to the central Appalachians and over part of the Rockies, where temperatures hit record highs along the eastern edge. High winds downed trees and power lines west of Philadelphia, Miss., and damaged several farm buildings. South Bend, Ind., got 3.65 inches of rain, enough to cause street flooding. Houston got a half-inch of rain in 20 minutes.