The Fourth of July should be a generally quiet weather day across the area, featuring partly cloudy skies and generally near-normal temperatures (read: still fairly hot). We start the day in the mid-70s and will warm to the low-to-mid-90s away from the coast, which looks to run more into the upper 80s to around 90°. The heat index will run around 100° as dewpoints remain a touch lower than they have been (generally low 70s). You’ll want the sunscreen with the UV index expected to run close to 10 at the height of the afternoon. Ridging aloft will keep a lid on any thunderstorm activity, removing Mother Nature’s fireworks from the equation this go-around.

Friday & the weekend: Still toasty, storm chances return

We’ll remain fairly warm over the next few days as dewpoints begin to recover, which will also help reintroduce shower and thunderstorm chances into the forecast especially as we get into the weekend proper. For Friday, expect a few isolated afternoon thunderstorms to punch through, but otherwise another hot day with mid-90s temperatures and heat indices around 103°. Mid-90s heat returns Saturday, but with additional available moisture pushing dewpoints back into the mid-70s, the heat index will run warmer — generally around 106° or so, though locally warmer heat indices may be possible. Shower and thunderstorm activity will be a little more plentiful Saturday afternoon and evening as the ridge weakens a little bit. Shower and storm coverage should tick up a little bit more for Sunday as moisture return continues to improve. This will drive dewpoints back into the mid-to-upper 70s, but the increased cloud cover and storms should keep the heat index tamped down below the advisory threshold of 108°.

As always with regard to weekend storms this time of year: I see nothing to cancel anything over. Just make sure you have a backup indoors plan in case thunderstorms approach your location. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors — if you can hear it, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning.

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