Perspiration can be a stinky nuisance as temperatures climb, but scientists say we shouldn't sell sweat short. There's so much more to the briny stuff than meets the eye.

Parts of Southern California were lashed by severe winds from a tropical storm Friday that brought high humidity, rain and possible flooding after a heat wave.

Heat waves, drought, massive storms. The bad news just keeps coming and there's no denying these issues are anxiety-provoking. If you feel that way, you're not alone.

From Arizona to Washington state, forecasters warn of "possibly record breaking" heat with little relief overnight, lasting past Labor Day. California may need to ask residents to conserve power.

NPR's Scott Simon takes a look at the world's temperature maps, and asks what summer will mean to future generations.

Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and intense. With much of the U.S. facing a weekend of extreme temperatures, here are some tips for protecting yourself and your loved ones.

Earlier this year, there had been warnings that supply during peak summer hours might not meet demand. But there have been no reports yet of widespread outages.

"We're used to treating hot spells as a chance to go play in the sun," said a top government scientist. "Our lifestyles and our infrastructure are not adapted to what is coming."

Meteorologists said an overheated mass of air and warm African winds are driving temperatures in the Iberian Peninsula beyond their usual highs.

 Created by researchers at the nonprofit Climate Central, the Climate Shift Index teases out the effect of climate change on daily temperatures all over the U.S., showing how the burning of fossil fuels has boosted the odds of any given daily high and low temperatures.

A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is bringing much of Western Europe its first heat wave of the summer.

People are flocking to pools, beaches and cooling centers in a swath of the Midwest and South spanning from northern Florida to the Great Lakes, as a heat wave pushed temperatures into the 90s and beyond.

Temperatures will rise into the triple digits across the Southwest and western U.S. this weekend. Daytime temps will be 10 to 20 degrees hotter than normal, according to the National Weather Service.

The Forest Service is also warning that air quality is likely to deteriorate as wildfires continue to burn.

The National Weather Service predicts areas on the East Coast could reach 100 degrees Thursday, with triple-digit temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, too. Relief isn't expected until the weekend.