ATLANTA, July 31 (UPI) -- Near-record heat continued to grip the eastern half of the nation Monday, with blistering conditions in the Plains, Upper Midwest and Northeast.
While cooler temperatures moved into the West, triple-digit readings plagued much of the eastern part of the country from New York south, the Weather Channel reported.
Excessive-heat warnings were posted for Philadelphia, Washington, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and other cities, with the combination of high heat and humidity risking "deadly health problems," Accuweather said.
Parts of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic States, the Gulf States and parts of the Tennessee Valley could also see strong thunderstorms and damaging winds, the National Weather Service said.
A cold front moving through the Northern and Central Plains and the Upper Midwest late in the day could trigger severe thunderstorms in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Large hail and damaging winds were possible.
The cooling trend continued in the West, with temperatures in most of California's Central Valley failing to top 90, the Weather Channel said. The rest of the interior West could see high temperatures fall as much as 10 degrees below normal. Yellowstone National Park may reach only the 50s, the Weather Channel said.
