The Fourth of July is supposed to be about outdoor fun and fireworks displays, but will showers and thunderstorms spoil the party in the Chicago area?
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, there is indeed at least a chance of showers and storms on the holiday, but the scattered nature of the storms could potentially give some areas a reprieve as fireworks displays get underway.
Before we get to Thursday, the Chicago area will see a round of showers and storms late Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning. While the Storm Prediction Center believes those storms will weaken below severe limits before their arrival, there is still a chance of heavy rain and some gusty winds before the system moves out Wednesday.
The remainder of the day will see increasing sunshine and humid conditions, with highs near 90 and heat indices exceeding that level.
By the time Thursday rolls around, another chance of showers and storms will emerge in the afternoon and into the evening hours, according to forecast models. High temperatures will settle into the mid-80s, right around their seasonal averages.
Friday could see another chance of rain, but the weekend will likely be mostly dry, with the exception of showers and storms developing Sunday afternoon and into the evening. It’s unclear at this point if those storms could impact the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, but there is a low likelihood of a washout like the one the area experienced during the 2023 edition of the race.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest forecasts for the Fourth of July, and for push alerts in the event of severe weather during the week.
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