As the West bakes, folks in the eastern United States will have to wait a while for a sustained warm-up, forecasters said. "The large-scale weather pattern across the country will keep most of the heat locked up across the western half of the country ...

The weather will gradually warm up over the next few days, with highs reaching the low to mid 70s by Monday and near 80 by Tuesday, before becoming wetter and more unsettled with showers and thunderstorms possible on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

You're in luck – the official start to spring is this week, falling on Friday, March 20. While meteorologists consider the beginning of March to mark the beginning of spring, the official arrival of the season depends on an astronomical event called the spring equinox. Wondering what exactly that means?

The first day of spring is almost here and it's going to feel almost summer-like in Iowa. Here's what to know about the vernal equinox.