Tropical Storm Karen retained its strength as the system encountered shearing winds on a path through the Gulf of Mexico to the U.S. coast. The storm is no longer expected to become a hurricane, forecasters said.
A ragged collection of rain showers off the Yucatan Peninsula may develop into a weak tropical system as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico, prompting some energy operations to evacuate non-essential personnel.
Temperatures in the 90s across the Midwest and U.S. East Coast, including Chicago and New York, will give way to more seasonal readings and a drop in energy demand by next week.
Drought may persist from California to Texas while improving slightly in the Great Plains as temperatures soar above normal across most of the U.S. from April through June, the Climate Prediction Center said.
Drought affected 87 percent of U.S. corn, 85 percent of soybeans, 63 percent of hay and 72 percent of cattle through last week, according to the National Climatic Data Center.
Oil fell to the lowest level in more than six months as U.S. supplies grew to the most since 1990 and talks to form a coalition government in Greece collapsed.
