AccuWeather

"This part of the country simply cannot handle rain pouring down at this rate," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis said.

The Lone Star state in particular has baked under record heat this summer, one that is marked by heat more extreme than any other summer to date in the U.S.

"A resilient heat dome that has brought hot weather to the southern Plains this week will spread into the Southwest and park itself there, likely through much of next week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist La Troy Thornton.

AccuWeather meteorologists expect temperatures to skyrocket across the Intermountain West heading into this weekend, with a few locales potentially reaching their hottest levels of the year thus far.

Chicago will record high temperatures in the low to mid-90s F on Monday and may challenge triple digits on Tuesday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.

"Through the early week, a majority of the monsoonal moisture in the West will be confined to the Four Corners region," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert said. "Thunderstorms are forecast to fire up across a large swath of New Mexico, as well as portions of Arizona and Colorado through Tuesday."

Those traveling across interstates 25, 27, 40, 70, 76 or 80 should be aware of diminishing visibility and slippery roadways as snow coats the highways. Bridges and overpasses are typically going to become dangerous first, but if enough snow falls, any road can become hazardous.

Some major cities could see their highest Christmas temperatures in nearly 100 years, while others could be in need of an all-new record book for Christmas.

Most of eastern Colorado is under a high wind warning Wednesday, with gusty winds and blowing dust expected to make travel difficult and dangerous.

Snow totals in some places could be as high as 12 inches or more. Regardless of accumulations, the storm will be a jarring turnaround from recent weather across the western and central parts of the nation