>> heat. the heat wave that's baked the rockies and the great plains now spreading east. there are 113 million americans now in the excessive heat advisory zone. that's more than one-third of the entire u.s. population . nbc's john yang with us tonight from indianapolis. john, good evening.
>> reporter: good evening, brian. the high today here in indianapolis? a sizzling 103 degrees. that broke a 78-year-old record. just five days into an already stifling summer, millions of americans are feeling the effects of dangerous and deadly temperatures.
>> it is unusual to hit a hundred this early in the year.
>> reporter: a 3-year-old boy in tennessee died of heat exhaustion after playing outside. his 5-year-old brother is in critical condition . nashville broke its all-time record, hitting 109 degrees. authorities urged people to stay indoors and canceled outdoor events this weekend. in atlanta --
>> smoking out here.
>> reporter: to chicago.
>> i'm going to bring a towel soaked in ice and a bucket with ice and try to keep cool today.
>> reporter: people and animals alike were struggling to keep cool as if triple digit temperatures weren't enough the humidity brought many heat indexes, which is how hot it feels, to 115 degrees or higher. a quarter of indiana is suffering from extreme drought, leading many countries to ban back yard fireworks. even the indianapolis symphony orchestra is canceling its 4th of july fireworks for the first time in 30 years. the dry conditions could be devastating for farmers like kendall culp.
>> obviously the corn is not growing and maturing.
>> reporter: in arkansas lack of rain means lack of hay for ranchers who are selling off their cattle at double the usual rate.
>> you're seeing lots of people that have been in the cow business for 30, 40, 50 years that are selling out.
>> reporter: orion samuelsson hosts the u.s. farm report and says many farmers are starting to compare this to the drought of 1988 that wiped out one-third of corn and soybean crops.
>> we need soaking rains not a popup thunderstorm that drops half an inch in this county and nothing in the next county.
>> reporter: there were some thunderstorms here this afternoon, but not nearly enough to help those farmers. brian?
Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/48020992/
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