Wednesday's forecast: Showery South, high heat Plains

The central U.S. heat wave will continue Wednesday while a few showers and storms hit the Southeast.

Central U.S.: Heat and humidity will make for a blisteringly hot day in the central U.S. on Wednesday as high temperatures soar into the upper 90s to near 100 degrees in many spots. A few severe storms are possible in far northern North Dakota and Minnesota.

East: New England, the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic will be warm, dry and sunny Wednesday. The Southeast will be hot and humid with some afternoon showers and thunderstorms likely.

West: Other than some afternoon showers and thunderstorms in parts of the Southwest and Four Corners Wednesday, the rest of the western third of the nation will see clear skies.

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Weather history for July 20: In 1934, Keokuk, Iowa, soared to 118 degrees, an all-time state record high. In 1992, in Shanghai, China, a 9-year-old girl was reportedly carried by a tornado nearly 2 miles from her front porch to a tree. The child was left unharmed.