(NewsNation) — Summer heat turns the atmosphere into a tinderbox as evening approaches, and the flint struck last night with storms breaking out all across the Southeast and up the East Coast into New Jersey and Massachusetts.

When the atmosphere heats up during the day, it can hold tremendous amounts of moisture (which makes it feel so “sticky” outside). It doesn’t take much for the condition to destabilize and thunderheads to begin forming. These storms tend to brew up quickly, dump tremendous amounts of rain in small areas and then dissipate just as fast.

More of the same is expected tonight and through the week, as the moisture remains in the air and temperatures will remain seasonally hot or even a bit above normal. On the good side, if the rain falls in the evening when temperatures are already dropping, it will cool off things like roofs and exterior walls of houses, helping air conditioners get a break.

In the West, despite the occasional storm, the “megadrought” continues, with the Associated Press reporting that the Great Salt Lake has hit a historic low for the second time in a year. Wildfires in the Sierra Nevada are endangering towns with a history dating back to the Gold Rush but Mother Nature doesn’t appear to be sending help anytime soon.

The Atlantic and Caribbean show no current signs of tropical development after a Fourth of July weekend storm off the Carolina coast played havoc with outdoor gatherings.