U.S. heat wave moves east

WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- A record-setting heat wave in portions of the U.S. midsection pushes east and south this weekend, weather officials said.

Temperatures were expected to approach 100 degrees along the Interstate 95 corridor, challenging record highs in Washington, Baltimore and Richmond, Va., AccuWeather.com reported.

Temperatures were expected to hit 100 in several southern cities, including Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Nashville; and Birmingham, Ala.

A huge high-pressure system was responsible for more than 1,000 record high temperatures this week, forecasters said.

Monthly records were either tied or broken from Ohio to Arkansas, The Weather Channel said.

Hill City, Kan., recorded its sixth straight day of 110-plus degree heat Thursday.

St. Louis topped out at 108 degrees, the warmest day since July 18, 1954, and the temperature rose in Louisville to 103 degrees, topping the all-time June record high of 102 set in 1936 and tied in 1944 and 1952, The Weather Channel said.

Forecasters said Nashville could have 100-degree temps into next week.

Asheville, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains, could get several days of 100-degree heat, forecasters said.

Raleigh, N.C., could have triple-digit temperatures through the weekend, The Weather Channel said, challenging the city's record high for June, 104 degrees on June 27, 1954.