Midwest and South, tropical storm approaches

The east coast could get its first brush with a tropical system over the next seven days as Tropical Storm Emily churns through the Caribbean.

Emily is forecast to move across the Dominican Republic and Haiti in the next few days and potentially target the southeast by the weekend, according to guidance from the National Hurricane Center.

What will this mean for New Jersey? It remains to be seen, but the impacts are likely to be minimal even if Emily can hold herself together and come ashore to our south.

In their morning forecast discussion, the National Hurricane Center says Emily remains disorganized despite looking more fearsome in recent satellite imagery. The system's top sustained winds are currently just above tropical depression status at 40 miles per hour while the pressure remains high for a tropical system at 1007 millibars.

Conditions to the north and west, where the storm is headed, aren’t currently ripe for development either, meaning Emily may have a tough time becoming more robust as she plows towards the United States.

National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings for Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa and Arizona.

Heat advisories were issued for an additional seven surrounding states.

"High temperatures this afternoon should be 95 to 100 in most areas east of the Mississippi River - highs of 85 to 95 are expected in the mountains, along the central and eastern Gulf coast and in Florida," The Weather Channel's Kevin Roth said.

AccuWeather.com's Meghan Evans warned that Tropical Storm Emily may grow by the weekend.

"As the current forecast path stands, the heaviest rain and wind from Emily would impact the Bahamas on Friday. Southern and central Florida could be impacted by rain and winds from Emily as early as Saturday," Evans said.

In Kansas City, Missouri, the National Weather Service predicted a high of 109 on Tuesday, which would easily eclipse its all-time high of 104. Heat in Kansas City this summer is already suspected in the deaths of 21 persons, according to the city's health department.

Wichita, Kansas expected a high of 113 degrees Tuesday, according to the weather service. Temperatures are forecast to exceed 100 degrees there for at least another six days.

Omaha's trash hauler abandoned some routes Monday as 12 workers fell ill during the heat. Two workers were hospitalized and 10 were sent home. The temperature hit 98 degrees Monday afternoon in Omaha.

Temperatures in Tennessee are pushing toward 100. Heat advisories are in effect in West Tennessee, where real temperatures will reach triple digits.

In the middle of the state, around Nashville, the upper 90s and low 100s are forecasted, with heat indexes into the 100s. East Tennessee, where it is slightly cooler usually, is under an air quality warning.