Storms to light up the sky this Fourth of July

Before looking ahead, we wanted to look back at some of the rain totals we saw through the end of last week and the weekend. Parts of southeast Nebraska received close to 4″ of rain, and in Lincoln, some totals were nearing 3″. Looking into the Drought Outlook, this rain helps some, but overall drought conditions are expected to persist through much of July.

As plans kick off around town tonight, weather will be cooperating! We’ll be warm for some time with clear skies and light winds mainly out of the south. Uncle Sam Jam’s fireworks will begin around 10 p.m., and the backdrop will be pleasant with July’s full moon visible.

But by Independence Day, things will become more unsettled as storms light up the sky instead of fireworks. An Enhanced risk (Level 3 of 5) includes much of south central Nebraska, with Lincoln included in the Slight (Level 2 of 5) risk. An Enhanced risk means numerous severe storms are possible with widespread storm activity. This will be something to keep an eye on for any plans on Tuesday, because storms spark quickly by late afternoon.

Stormcast shows this line starting to pop by 4-5 p.m. through central Nebraska, bringing the threat for hail and especially strong winds. Wind is one of the main concerns, as gusts over 75 mph are possible. This line will later congeal together as it moves east toward southeast and eastern Nebraska by the evening.

Right when many 4th of July celebrations will want to happen, the timing of these storms will mess with a lot of those plans. Models are in good agreement that these will arrive between 8 and 10 p.m., bringing some heavy downpours at times.

Besides the storm potential, it’ll be a very hot and muggy day for the holiday. Temperatures will be climbing to the middle and upper 90s in the afternoon, with heat indices heading toward triple-digit territory.

In the heat of the day, Lincoln has a chance to see those triple-digit temperatures heading into the afternoon. Dew point temperatures will be in the middle and upper 60s, producing the humid conditions. But following the cold front and storms Tuesday night, we’ll be much cooler for Wednesday with lingering showers.

Bottom line, tomorrow will be a day to stay weather aware as temperatures climb high and storms race east through nightfall.

Meteorologist Jessica Blum 
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