FOX Weather meteorologists will be tracking heat and storms across the country over the Fourth of July weekend and on America’s 246th birthday.
Celebrations are planned from coast to coast, and in typical summer fashion, some spectators will have to dodge a few showers and thunderstorms between Friday and Independence Day.
Here’s the forecast for each region.
Northeast forecast
Friday’s weather is looking good, but it will be quite warm. The high temperature in New York City, for example, will be about 91 degrees. Those warm temperatures are also expected across the region and in New England as well.
Boston is expected to reach near 93 degrees during the afternoon hours, with a chance of storms in the evening.
Saturday looks stormy in parts of the Northeast, especially from Pennsylvania and New Jersey into southern New England.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an area stretching from Philadelphia and eastern Pennsylvania through New York City, Hartford, Providence and Boston as having the highest chance of severe weather.
With most people celebrating the holiday over the weekend, it’s important to know how to stay safe when severe weather threatens.
One of the most important things – have a severe weather safety plan. Check the FOX Weather app to see if storms are in the forecast. If they are, be sure to have that plan ready to go in the event of lightning, hail or a tornado.
For your longterm summer plans, let FOX FutureView track the forecast for you and keep you updated. Add in your events like summer BBQs, sporting events and vacations in the app. Enable notifications and FOX FutureView will alert you to any forecast changes.
Conditions are expected to clear up by Sunday, with places like New York City seeing high temperatures in the 80s.
Computer forecast models show the Fourth of July could be rather pleasant in the region after a stormy start to the weekend.
High temperatures will make it into the 80s, but humidity values and dew points should be more comfortable, courtesy of a cold front.
The forecast calls for cities along the Interstate 95 corridor from Washington to Boston to reach the upper 80s on Monday afternoon before settling down into the lower 80s for the start of fireworks shows.
New York City’s 46th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show is expected to start around 9:25 p.m. under partly cloudy skies.
Southeast forecast
Temperatures in the Southeast will generally be in the 80s and 90s starting Friday and over the holiday weekend, including Independence Day.
Atlanta will likely see a high temperature on Friday of around 84 degrees, then on Saturday temperatures will jump to about 88 degrees and rise to 90 degrees on Sunday and 91 degrees on the Fourth of July.
Miami will also see high temperatures around 90 degrees over the weekend and into the Independence Day holiday.
The combination of plenty of moisture, warm temperatures and at least one cold front could help kick off numerous showers and thunderstorms each day from Friday to Monday.
While it is too early to tell which cities will see the bulk of the rainfall, communities in the Tennessee Valley, the mid-Atlantic and the Gulf Coast could see rain on the Fourth of July.
Where rain falls, the precipitation will have a cooling effect and provide some relief from the summer heat.
If the Southeast is in your destination plans, make sure to download the FOX Weather app to track the storms on our 3D mobile radar.
Midwest forecast
It could come down to location, location, location in the Midwest, with eastern parts of the region seeing a chance of rain and the southwestern section seeing the heat.
Friday will generally see temperatures in the 80s in places like Fargo, North Dakota and Chicago. Kansas City, Missouri, will get close to 90 degrees with mostly cloudy conditions.
On Saturday, rain and thunderstorms are expected in Fargo, which will see a high temperature of around 80 degrees. Sunday will see the same chances for showers and storms, while on Independence Day, temperatures will fall to about 78 degrees.
In Kansas City temperatures will rise all weekend with a chance of seeing thunderstorms, too. The high temperature in Kansas City will be around 82 degrees on Saturday, 90 degrees on Sunday and 95 degrees on the Fourth of July.
A series of cold fronts over the Midwest will help produce those showers and thunderstorms.
Major cities such as Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis all will see a chance of rain on Independence Day.
There is too much uncertainty right now to say when the rain will end, but spectators might want to pack a poncho or umbrella in case the wet weather interferes with celebrations.
Meteorologists say the most significant concern for temperatures that will be well above average will be in the Plains. Highs could be more than 10 degrees above average, which could mean temperatures reach the 90s and even 100s.
West forecast
Friday appears to be the pick of the weekend in the West. Seattle will see a high temperature of about 76 degrees with mostly sunny conditions, however, some clouds will begin to fill in as a storm system approaches.
Reno, Nevada, will have plenty of sunshine and a high temperature of about 90 degrees. To the south in Los Angeles, temperatures are expected to be about 80 degrees.
Because of a storm system over the Pacific Northwest, most of the region will see temperatures below average over the weekend and into Independence Day.
Temperatures in Seattle will fall from a high of 73 degrees on Saturday to 67 degrees on Sunday and 68 degrees on the Fourth of July.
Los Angeles will also enjoy temperatures in the 70s all weekend. The high temperature on Saturday will be around 78 degrees and fall back to 74 degrees on Sunday before rising a bit to 75 degrees on Independence Day.
Below-average temperatures will make for great weather for parades and firework displays in large parts of Oregon, California and Nevada on the Fourth of July.
An average high for July 4 is typically 92 degrees in Reno, and 81 in Los Angeles, so large parts of the West will see temperatures between 5 and 15 degrees below average.
The chance for a few scattered showers will exist in the Pacific Northwest, the northern Rockies and the Four Corners region.
The Southwest is in its monsoon season, meaning an influx of moisture could lead to heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
For areas that have not seen recent rain and are experiencing high fire dangers, communities have banned fireworks and are encouraging families to attend drone shows.
