Topline
Heat alerts in the South and West along with severe thunderstorm watches stretching along much of the East Coast threaten to put a damper on some Fourth of July celebrations, especially in these major cities.
Key Facts
Large regions of the Northeast are under a severe thunderstorm watch for Monday evening—with cities such as Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Richmond, Virginia, facing the threat of severe storms that could stretch well into the overnight hours.
Cities like Raleigh, North Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida, are under heat advisories as heat indices soar well over 100 degrees—with Jacksonville also experiencing thunderstorms that could continue Tuesday.
Heat waves from the weekend have persisted into the early week for places like Phoenix, Southern California’s Inland Empire and parts of Oregon, prompting heat advisories.
A heat wave affecting the South for weeks is expected to lessen on July 4—however, temperatures above 90 degrees will continue to hang around for the holiday.
Key Background
Inclement weather and extreme temperatures have made their presence felt since the start of the summer in the U.S. Around two weeks ago, triple-digit temperatures and excessive rainfall hit parts of the South. Several tornadoes also struck the country in June, making 2023 the deadliest tornado year to date since 2011. The National Weather Service reported last month that of the 10 most active days for severe weather this year, five occurred in June.
Tangent
Severe weather has continued striking the Northeast, which just last week experienced severe thunderstorms that contributed to thousands of flights being canceled or delayed. LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport were impacted the most by the cancellations and delays.
Surprising Fact
Despite being the middle of summer, a rural area of southern Montana is facing inclement weather in the form of snow. Up to a half-foot of snow is expected Tuesday at elevations above 9,000 feet in the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains, leading to a winter weather advisory being issued.
Fourth Of July Holiday Forecast: Storms Could Interrupt Plans In Central, Eastern US As West Sees Heat (The Weather Channel)
Triple-digit heat continues to scorch parts of the U.S. (NBC)
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