Heat, storms and fire risk: Fourth of July weather is nothing to celebrate
Dangerous heat and elevated risks of wildfires are present in parts of the West, with climate change and El Niño both playing a role. Meanwhile, thunderstorms threaten the Midwest and the East Coast.
Check the forecast before you set up for any cookouts this Fourth of July holiday. Dangerously hot weather threatens parts of the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest, while severe thunderstorms pose a risk in the Midwest.
The mid-Atlantic and Southeast can also expect storms — a continuation of the "unsettled weather" the region has seen lately, in the words. And while extreme heat has eased its grip on much of the Southeast, heat advisories continue in parts of North Carolina and Florida.
