Extreme heat, severe storms and wildfires highlight July Fourth weather hazards

Extreme heat in the East, severe thunderstorms in the Midwest and Northeast, and elevated wildfire danger in the West will create a wide range of weather hazards across parts of the U.S. on Independence Day.

The Fourth of July is here, and it's not surprising to have heat, hazy sunshine and pop-up thunderstorms to contend with. However, the pattern during the Independence Day weekend will bring extreme to dangerous conditions to a large part of the nation as hundreds of millions celebrate its 250th anniversary.

The best ways to stay comfortable over the holiday weekend are at the beach, in the pool or hunkering down in the air conditioning.

Surf temperatures are generally in the 80s F along the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Waters are dangerously cold in the Northwest and cool at best along the Southern California coast.

There's typical July heat, then there's this

The elephant in the weather room will continue to be a heat dome acting like a giant furnace or steam pressure cooker.

Actual temperatures during the heat dome will be 10-20 degrees above the 30-year average, reaching 90-105 degrees in many locations across the eastern United States.

AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures, which incorporate the actual temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind and other factors, will spend several hours between 100 and 115 degrees each day through Saturday in dozens of states from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Staying hydrated when attending festivals, enjoying a day at the ballpark or barbecuing in the backyard will be essential. Fluid loss through perspiration can quickly lead to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Local officials may need to set up cooling stations and have public access to water during festivals. Planning ahead could reduce the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities.

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Don't forget to keep your pets cool and well-watered, whether at home or away.

Downpours, lightning and wind gusts

AccuWeather meteorologists say that the edges of the heat dome will be the most active for thunderstorms and the most likely zone for rounds of severe weather through the holiday weekend.

On Independence Day, including in the evening, thunderstorms will rumble from the lower portion of the Mississippi Valley to parts of the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Northeast and the mid-Atlantic.

If large groups or lines of storms develop, damaging wind gusts may occur, along with widespread torrential downpours that can produce flash flooding. The high winds in some storms could damage tents, canopies and other temporary structures set up for festivities.

Lightning will pose the greatest danger for those outdoors.

During Saturday evening, the most active area for thunderstorms is likely to stretch from the northern and central parts of the Plains to the Ohio Valley, a portion of the Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic coast.

While a drenching shower or thunderstorm would typically be welcome to help cool things off, such conditions could disrupt holiday activities, especially many outdoor activities, including evening fireworks.

Storms, fog and smoke are potential problems for fireworks

A common problem with fireworks in early July is air stagnation and high humidity. Both can prevent the quick dispersal of smoke as the crowd yearns for more. In some cases, smoke particles can lead to rapid fog formation, especially if it has recently rained and the air is saturated.

A few slow-moving drenching storms will pop up in the Southeastern and South Central states. Most of these storms will travel from east to west or southeast to northwest.

The middle of the heat dome may not be free of spotty thunderstorms. Most of these will tend to pop up in the afternoon and diminish in the evening.

Drought and fire risk to put a damper on fireworks

From parts of the Rockies through the Great Basin and the intermountain region of the Southwest, the wildfire risk will remain elevated. Some of the fires that started days to weeks ago will continue to burn. Embers from these fires, along with fireworks, may continue to start new blazes.

Using fireworks in drought-affected areas could lead to more fires. Personal fireworks should be saved for a time when the landscape is less likely to become a raging inferno.

Because of this, fireworks and open flames have been banned in some locations and states due to the seriousness of the wildfire situation. Check with authorities to see if your location is subject to fireworks restrictions.

Some of the best outdoor weather conditions with no major concerns about rain, heat or lightning, will be found along the Pacific coast and in the northern part of the Rockies.

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