Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Thousands without Power, Drivers Rescued from Water After Strong Storms Hammer Missouri

Carolyn Williams
Published: June 26,2015

Powerful storms hammered parts of Missouri Thursday night into early Friday, leaving thousands without power and causing widespread flooding.
Over 150,000 customers – the majority from Kansas City Power & Light – experienced power outages, the Associated Press reported.
Storms seen over Chillicothe, Missouri, on June 25, 2015. (Photo Credit: Instagram/ttwags88)
"A cluster of thunderstorms, known to meteorologists as a mesoscale convective system, rolled through northeast Kansas and western Missouri, with damaging winds and locally flooding rain," said weather.com senior meteorologist Jon Erdman.
(FORECAST: Severe Thunderstorm, Flash Flood Threats in the Midwest, South and East)
Heavy flooding closed sections of Highway 61 and Highway 79 early Friday morning, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Motorists were warned to stay off the roads to avoid being swept away.
Several water rescues were performed in the cities of Winfield and Troy, Missouri, where flash flooding inundated several cars, KSDK-TV reported.
About 10 residents in Winfield had to evacuate their homes after the McLean Creek levee overflowed, according to the Post-Dispatch. Flooding also prompted the evacuation of some residents in Old Monroe, Missouri, the AP said.
(MORE: Pakistan Heat Wave Kills At Least 1,000; Death Toll Rises Despite Lower Temperatures)
The Red Cross opened a shelter in Troy, Missouri, KTVI-TV said.
A lightning strike caused an apartment building fire in Granite City, Missouri, KSDK reported. Four apartments were damaged. There were no injuries.
The National Weather Service reported additional damage, including downed trees and power lines and overturned structures.
MORE: Southern Plains Flooding - May 2015

Lightning Deaths Traditionally Peak In July: What You Need To Know To Stay Safe

Sean Breslin
Published: June 29,2015

March, April and May are better known for severe weather because they're traditionally the most favorable months for large tornadoes to strike the Plains and Dixie Alley. But it's not until the summer that another severe weather threat becomes most dangerous for millions of Americans.
According the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July is the month with the most lightning deaths, on average. From 2006 through 2014, an average of 15 lightning fatalities occurred in July, whereas no other month averages more than 11.
"The combination of more thunderstorms, sometimes moving more slowly, in areas where more people are enjoying outdoor activities is why summer is the peak for lightning deaths in the U.S.," said weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman. "This emphasizes the importance of being weather aware."
(MORE: U.S. Lightning Deaths In 2015)
As of Monday, there have been 13 lightning deaths in the United States this year. NOAA's 30-year statistics show that an average of 20 lightning deaths occur from January through June, and the annual average is 49 deaths.
The 13th lightning death of the year also marked 300 lightning fatalities since the beginning of 2006, NOAA's stats show. Of those deaths, 240 of those have been men, and 60 were women.
NOAA offeres the following advice for staying safe when thunderstorms are present.
  • Keep in mind that no place outside is safe during a thunderstorm. If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you.
  • When you hear thunder, immediately move to safe shelter; a substantial building with electricity or plumbing or an enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with windows up.
  • Stay in safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder.

Indoor Lightning Safety

  • Stay off corded phones, computers and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity.
  • Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths and faucets.
  • Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
  • Do not lie on concrete floors, and do not lean against concrete walls.

If You're Caught Outdoors And Can't Get To Shelter ...

  • Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges or peaks
  • Never lie flat on the ground
  • Never shelter under an isolated tree
  • Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter
  • Immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water
  • Stay away from objects that conduct electricity (barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills, etc.)
MORE: The Counties Where You're Most Likely To Be Struck By Lightning

June 2015 Smashes Heat, Rainfall Records Across the U.S.

Jon Erdman
Published: June 30,2015



 
June 2015 shattered records across the U.S., thanks in part to Tropical Storm Bill's inland resilience and two prominent heat waves in opposite corners of the nation.
(MORE: June's Best Weather Images | Strangest Weather of 2015, So Far)
Here is the impressive list of monthly or all-time records set in June. Each list is ordered alphabetically by location.

June 2015's Records/Notables

Wet

  • Baltimore, Maryland (BWI Airport): Record wettest June (13.09 inches) and fourth wettest calendar month.
  • Corpus Christi, Texas: Wettest year-to-date (31.84 inches); average January-June precipitation is 13.51 inches.
  • Fort Wayne, Indiana: Record wettest month (11.91 inches); previous record wet month was 11.00 inches in July 1986.
  • Grapevine Lake, Texas: Record water level around June 20 after rainfall from Tropical Storm Bill; this exceeded the lake level following May's record rain.
  • Hastings, Nebraska: Wettest June calendar day on record (4.74 inches on June 4).
  • Illinois: Record wettest June statewide, topping the previous record from 1902.
  • James River near Springfield, Missouri: Record crest (22.2 feet) on June 16, just over 2 inches above the previous 1909 record.
  • Millville, New Jersey: Record wet June (12.74 inches); tied with August 2011 for the second wettest month behind 12.90 inches in July 1969.
  • Montpelier-Barre, Vermont: Record wet June (8.94 inches); previous record wet June (8.36 inches) was in 2013.
  • Mt. Mansfield, Vermont: Record wet June (15.54 inches); previous wettest June (15.28 inches) was in 1998.
  • Oklahoma City: Record wettest year-to-date (34.43 inches); average January-June precipitation is 18.56 inches.
  • Phoenix: First measurable rain on record for June 5 (0.16 inches); average June rainfall is 0.02 inches.
  • Port Huron, Michigan: Record wet June (7.86 inches); previous record (7.46 inches) was in 1962.
  • Rapid City, South Dakota: Record wet June (7.07 inches); previous record (7.00 inches) was in 1968.
  • Red River near Gainesville, Texas: Record crest on June 19 (42.05 feet) topped the previous record from May 31, 1987 by almost 2 feet.
  • St. Louis: Record wet June (13.14 inches); previous record (12.35 inches) was in 2003; second wettest month behind August 1946 (14.78 inches)
  • Warren, Ohio: Record wet June (13.03 inches); previous record (10.78 inches) was in 1896
  • Washita River near Dickson, Oklahoma: Record crest (48.7 feet) on June 19. 

Hot

  • Boise, Idaho: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1918.
  • Burns, Oregon: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1961.
  • Charlotte, North Carolina: Record number of June 100-degree-plus days (6); previous record (3 days) was in 1959 and 1952.
  • Ely, Nevada: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1900
  • Eugene, Oregon: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1926.
  • Helena, Montana: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1961.
  • Kalispell, Montana: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1898.
  • Las Vegas: Record hottest June; previous record was in 2013.
  • Lewiston, Idaho: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1940.
  • Medford, Oregon: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1926.
  • Miami: Record hottest year-to-date (January-June), according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center; previous hottest January-July was 2008.
  • Missoula, Montana: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1903.
  • Moses Lake, Washington: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1958.
  • Olympia, Washington: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1969.
  • Orlando Utilities Commission: All-time peak power use record on June 22.
  • Pendleton, Oregon: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1961.
  • Portland, Oregon: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1992.
  • Provo, Utah: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1994.
  • Raleigh, North Carolina: Record streak of 95-degree-plus highs (12 straight days) from June 13-24; previous record (9 straight days) was from July 13-21, 1977.
  • Reno, Nevada: Record hottest June; previous record was in 2006.
  • Salem, Oregon: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1926.
  • Salt Lake City: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1988.
  • Seattle: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1992; also the record warmest January-June.
  • Spokane, Washington: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1922.
  • The Dalles, Oregon: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1977.
  • Walla Walla, Washington: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1992.
  • Wenatchee, Washington: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1992.
  • Winnemucca, Nevada: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1918.
  • Yakima, Washington: Record hottest June; previous record was in 1948.
(MORE: All June Calendar-Day, All-time Northwest Heat Records | Spain's Record Heat)

Dry

  • Great Falls, Montana: Record driest June (0.44 inches); previous record was 0.52 inches in 1960.
  • Portland, Oregon: Longest June dry streak: 24 days without measurable rainfall June 4-27.
  • Quillayute, Washington: Record driest June (0.20 inches); previous record was 0.40 inches in 1967.
  • San Francisco (downtown): Record driest year-to-date (3.10 inches); average January-June precipitation is 14.54 inches.
(MORE: Alaska's June Wildfires)

Cold

  • Boston: Record cold daily high for June – 49 degrees – set two days in a row on June 1 and 2. This was 6 degrees colder than the daily average low, and is an average high for March 29 or Nov. 22.
Contributing: Weather Underground's Christopher Burt, senior digital meteorologist Nick Wiltgen, meteorologist Brandon Wright and many other behind-the-scenes meteorologists at The Weather Channel.

MORE: Tropical Storm Bill Photos

Alaska Wildfires in June 2015 Have Surpassed June 2004, Which Was a Record Wildfire Year

Chris Dolce
Published: June 30,2015




 
The number of wildfires and acres burned in Alaska in June 2015 has exceeded what the state saw during the same month in 2004, a year considered the worst for wildfires in the state.
According to the Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry, a combined 1.6 million acres have been burned by 399 separate fires in the state this month through June 29. That is nearly double the number of fires in June 2004, which had 215 wildfires that charred 1.15 million acres.
The Associated Press reported that 314 wildfires remained active over more than 2,265 square miles as of Monday. No new evacuations occurred this past weekend, however residents in some small communities left in voluntary evacuations last week, including elders, children and those that were medically vulnerable.
Widespread smoke across Alaska's interior on June 24, 2015. The red locators show where fires were active on that day.
(NASA)




























Most of the fires in June 2004 were located in Alaska's interior, while this June they have been scattered throughout the state, Alaska DNR said. They added that it was unusual to have this concentration of fire starts.
Lightning strikes were a major contributor to the ignition of wildfires in both June 2015 and June 2004. However, Alaska DNR says that June 2015 has had much more lightning than June 2004. In a span of three days from June 21-23, 2015, about 50,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the state.
The largest wildfire in the state is the Iditarod River Fire, which had burned 98,183 acres through June 28. That wildfire and the other top 10 largest wildfires in Alaska through June 28 were all started by lightning strikes.
Active fire locations on June 30, 2015.
(NIFC/NASA/NOAA/USFS)
When looking at the year as a whole, the number of acres burned still trails 2004 considerably. A massive 6.59 million acres were burned in that record year. That's eight times the average number of acres burned per year in Alaska.

MORE: Flooding on Alaska's Dalton Highway in May 2015

Sleepy Hollow Fire: Residents Return To Charred Homes in Wenatchee, Washington

Eric Zerkel
Published: June 30,2015

Residents in Wenatchee, Washington, returned to their burned homes Monday evening to survey the damage after a massive wildfire reduced entire streets of houses to smoldering ash.
"These were all really nice homes," Wenatchee resident Joan Mullene, whose home survived, told the Associated Press. "It's really devastating."
As many as 24 to 28 houses have been burned in the Sleepy Hollow fire. The wildfire started outside of Wenatchee Sunday afternoon, but winds drove the flames directly toward Wenatchee, creating a nightmarish situation for firefighters who struggled to bring the fire under control, KOMO News reports.
Three firefighters suffered what the AP described as minor injuries, but no residents have been hurt.
(MORE: An Update On Other Notable Western Wildfires Currently Burning)

Current Radar/Lightning














Due to an ongoing heat wave in the Northwest, temperatures in Wenatchee were still in the 90's as of midnight local time, according to weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.
"Light surface winds eventually shifted northwesterly up to 15 mph Sunday evening into the overnight hours," said Erdman. "Showers moved over Wenatchee, but only produced a trace of rain, given the dry air in place."
As a result, the fire had reached homes and businesses within hours. According to the Wenatchee World, the first homes burned after 8 p.m. local time.
The flames also spread to businesses, burning through Michelsen Packaging, Northern Wholseale Inc. and the Bluebird fruit warehouse, the Wenatchee World reports. Monday morning, Chelan County Emergency Management alerted residents to shelter in place because of an ammonia leak. Officials began warning citizens as early as midnight Sunday that the leak may happen.
Multiple streets in Wenatchee were evacuated as flames threatened additional buildings. But on Monday night, citizens were allowed back into some areas, where they found nothing but the charred remains of their lives.
Tom Bryant, a resident who had to leave his home at a moment's notice Sunday night as the flames quickly advanced, returned home a day later and saw his vintage Shelby Mustang GT 500 sports car completely destroyed and buried in ash.
"It hurts, but it's just stuff," he told the AP while his wife looked for a missing cat.
Diane Reed and her two daughters returned to the plot of land where their house once stood and found what she called a "war zone," the Seattle Times reported.
“Was this where the closet was?” said Reed's 13-year-old daughter, Erin, according to the Seattle Times. “This is where I grew up.”
(MORE: Check To See If Wildfires Are Burning In Your Area)
Most of Chelan County is mired in moderate drought, as of the last release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, creating abnormally dry conditions. Those conditions are only amplified by the ongoing extreme heatwave in the Northwest.
According to Erdman, temperatures soared to 109 degrees at Wenatchee's airport Sunday.
"That's an all-time record for June, and just one degree shy of the city's all-time record set on July 17-18, 1941," said Erdman.
Wenatchee, Washington, is located more than 100 miles east of Seattle in the central part of the state and is home to more than 30,000 people.

In 24 Hours, Lightning Sparks Three Dozen New Fires In Northern California

Sean Breslin
Published: June 30,2015 



 
In an area that's as dry as northern California, all it takes is a spark to create a raging inferno.
That's why firefighters were on edge Sunday as thunderstorms moved through the Golden State. With countless dead trees and plants along the parched landscape, every lightning strike was a new opportunity to start a new wildfire.
Storms fire up near the California-Nevada border on the night of Saturday, June 27, 2015.
According to the Los Angeles Times, some 800 lightning strikes happened in a 24-hour span in northern California, initiating about three dozen new fires.
(MORE: Sleepy Hollow Fire Destroys Two Dozen Homes In Washington)
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection told CBS San Francisco that the fires were quickly put out, but it's a sign of things to come in a long fire season. More than 94 percent of California is in severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and the state's vegetation is dying out, providing more fuel for the fires.
Conditions have reached such dire levels that firefighters have stopped controlled burns of brush piles, the L.A. Times also reported. These piles of dead vegetation are a fire crew's worst nightmare, as they can allow a blaze to spread quickly, but it's just too dry to safely burn them off, the report added.
California should have a couple of days without stormy weather, but it's possible that the lightning will return after that.
"Although an upper-level high-pressure system will stay in place across the West into this weekend, portions of northern California will be on the periphery of this high where disturbances will rotate through from time to time," said weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce. "Those disturbances may lead to the development of some thunderstorms, particularly across higher terrain locations, especially late in the week."
MORE: The Sleepy Hollow Fire In Central Washington

50 Beautiful Images of the Earth From Space (PHOTOS)

Chris Dolce
Published: June 30,2015




 
The collection of photos above shows some of the most beautiful features that cover the Earth as viewed from space. All of the images were taken by both satellites and astronauts over the course of many years.
You'll see a number of climate zones represented in the images, ranging from deserts and tropical oceans to locations where frigid temperatures are a common occurrence.
(MORE: Photos Show How the Earth is Changing)

Long-Lasting Heat Wave Bound for Europe; June Records Smashed in Spain

Jon Erdman
Published: June 30,2015

While record-smashing heat is searing the Northwest United States and southwest Canada, another heat wave is about to become more widespread in Europe, and may last in some areas into next week.
A woman cools off with a fan displayed on a terrace of a bar during a heatwave in Madrid on June 28, 2015.
(GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Heat records are already being toppled in parts of Spain.
Madrid (central Madrid) set a new June record high for the second day in a row Monday, reaching 39.7 degrees Celsius -- 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit -- edging out their previous June record of 39.1 degrees Celsius set Sunday.
Monday afternoon, Madrid's Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport pushed up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 F), a first for June in records dating to 1945. According to AEMet, four other locations in Spain with records dating to at least the 1950s tied or set new June heat records Monday.
Cordoba, in southern Spain, reached a sizzling 43.7 degrees Celsius Sunday (110.7ĀŗF).
Highs in parts of southern France topped out in the 100s on Tuesday. Cazaux, France, hit 104 degrees on Tuesday afternoon and Dax, France, topped out at 100 degrees.
(FLASHBACK: Europe May Heat Records)
This heat is now spreading and set anchor in some parts of Europe, and it looks like it'll last through the weekend -- if not longer.
The culprit is an area of high-pressure aloft over and near the Iberian Peninsula, expected to expand as far east as the southern Baltics, Belarus and western Ukraine, and as far north as southern Scandinavia.

Europe Heat Wave Upper-Air Pattern

Current Temperatures

Five Day Forecast
Under this dome of















































High pressure aloft, dry, sinking air and generally light winds will allow stifling heat to build.
Wednesday, the heat will ramp up considerably in France, the U.K., Belgium, the Netherlands and western Germany, as well as parts of southern Norway, southern Sweden and Denmark.
Forecast highs Wednesday could reach 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of southern England by Wednesday, including London.
(MORE: U.K. Detailed Weather Forecast)
Fortunately for the U.K., a cold front will sweep in by Thursday, limiting the truly excessive heat to a couple of days. Their friends across the English Channel won't be so fortunate.
Meteo France warned the country may experience its hottest temperatures in almost nine years: "The major heat waves that hit France in the past generally occurred later in the summer."
(MORE: Extreme Heat Waves, Cold Snaps More Frequent)
Code orange heat alerts ("vigilance orange") have been issued by Meteo France for a large swath of central and northeast France. Code orange is the second-highest level on the four-color hazard scale adopted by national meteorological services in most European countries.
"Europeans, and the French in particular, have been painfully aware of the dangers of extreme heat since the killer heat wave of July 2003," said weather.com senior meteorologist Nick Wiltgen. According to the United Nations, an estimated 30,000 Europeans (14,000 in France alone) died in that heat wave, making it the deadliest natural disaster of the past 50 years in Europe.
Paris will be sweating through a high of around 39 degrees Celsius (102 F) Wednesday. Tuesday's high topped out in the low 90s.
After a brief break, mainly in western France, the heat will return Friday into the upcoming weekend, and could even linger into early next week. Highs in Paris will hover between 35 to 39 degrees Celsius (95 to 102 F) Thursday through Saturday.
The worst and most persistent heat will spread from Spain and France into Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, western Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania through early next week.
(FORECASTS: Amsterdam | Brussels | Berlin | Prague | Zurich | Vienna | Budapest | Krakow)
A cold front may bring some heat relief by early-mid next week from The Netherlands and Belgium into Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, southern Scandinavia and the Baltics.
However, that front may stall out before ever bringing relief to southern Europe.
"The latest (long-range forecasts) suggest the ridge and heat will persist across central Europe and Iberia through the month (of July)," said Leon Brown, chief meteorologist based in the U.K. for The Weather Company.
If your travel plans take you to Europe over the next 7 to 10 days, be prepared for the heat. Limit exposure during the hottest times of the day, take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

MORE: The "Hidden Gems" of Europe

Western Heat Wave Shatters At Least 31 June Record Highs (FORECAST)

Jon Erdman
Published: June 30,2015

A torrid heat wave is easing a bit, but will kick into high gear yet again later this week into the July 4th holiday weekend, and possibly beyond.
June record highs have been broken in at least 31 cities in the Northwest, five of which appear to have tied or broken their all-time record highs. The extreme heat is likely to last into next week and may end up breaking records for longevity as well.

June Record Highs Set














An unofficial weather station located in Hell's Canyon along the Oregon/Idaho border (Pittsburg Landing) recorded an incredible 116 degrees for a high Sunday.
The culprit in this hot setup is a dome of high pressure aloft, surging northwestward to encompass a large area of the western states. The center of this high will shift around through the week ahead, but overall it will remain a dominant feature.
This will allow the sizzling late-June and early-July sun to send temperatures soaring not simply in the typically hot Desert Southwest, but also locations well to the north including the Pacific Northwest, interior Northwest and northern Rockies.

Hot Week Ahead

Highs well into the 90s and triple digits are expected in many lower-elevation locations west of the Continental Divide and inland from the Pacific Coast.

Heat Alerts














This includes much of Nevada, California's Central Valley, the Salt Lake Valley, Idaho's Snake River Plain, much of Oregon's lower elevations east of the immediate coast, and areas to the east of the Cascades in Washington State.
In particular, parts of the Columbia Basin and lower Snake River Valley will see particularly extreme and persistent heat. This includes cities such as Yakima, Kennewick and Walla Walla in Washington as well as Lewiston, Idaho, as noted in the records below. Temperatures will get knocked down a bit into the 90s or low 100s to start the new workweek, but will then surge towards the middle or possibly upper 100s again late in the week.
(FORECASTS: Seattle | Portland | Boise | Salt Lake City)
The extreme heat has even surged north into Canada. Cranbrook, in far southeast British Columbia at an elevation of about 3,000 feet, set a new all-time record high of 98 degrees (36.8 degrees Celsius) Sunday, according to The Weather Network.
Even Revelstoke, British Columbia – 130 miles north of the U.S. border, about 1,500 feet above sea level and better known for skiing – reached an amazing 103 degrees (39.5 degrees Celsius) Sunday.

Current Temperatures














Compared to what the more arid Great Basin is used to, evening and overnight temperatures will be slow to drop, bottoming out in the 70s in the hottest locations.
In that regard, the air mass moving north into the region already has a strong pedigree; Las Vegas recorded a low of 91 on Friday, marking the first time Vegas has ever recorded a daily low in the 90s during the month of June. This happened again Sunday, when the calendar-day low was only 90 degrees. (The previous record-warm daily low in June was 89 on June 29-30, 2003.)
This heat appears to be locked in place well into the week ahead, as the upper-level dome of high pressure remains camped out near the Great Basin. In fact, some interior Northwest locations may see highs in the 100s every day from now into at least early next week.
(MAPS: 10-Day Temperature Forecasts)

Forecast Highs














The hot, dry weather is also causing a high fire danger, as drought conditions have worsened over the Northwest and northern Rockies in the spring. Disturbances riding around the west side of the upper-level ridge and just enough mid-level moisture may trigger isolated, mainly dry afternoon thunderstorms, which may ignite new wildfires.
(MORE: Wenatchee, Washington Wildfire)
In mid-May, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a statewide drought emergency, and spring runoff from winter's paltry snowpack was expected to be the least in 64 years.
Seattle has seen only 8 days with measurable rain since May 1, one-third the average number of such days, according to NWS-Seattle. Portland, Oregon, set a new record June dry streak of 24 straight days through Saturday, according to NWS-Portland.
One of the biggest factors in heat wave deaths is not only the magnitude, but also the longevity of the heat.
  • Seattle will see highs in the middle 80s to low 90s through the holiday weekend and likely into next week. They reached the low 90s on Saturday and may see several more days in the low 90s later this week. On average, they typically see the 90-degree mark only three days a year. 
  • Spokane, Washington may see a couple of days with century-mark highs through the holiday weekend. Only one such day a year is the average, there. Even when not in the 100s it will be at least in the middle or upper 90s.
  • Portland, Oregon last saw triple-digit heat in August 2012. They may see one, if not more such days in this heat wave this week. The city may also make a run at its longest streak of 90-degree days; that was a 10-day streak in 2009.
  • Medford, Oregon will tie its June record for 90-degree-plus days (21 in 1918).
  • Salt Lake City may see triple-digit highs several days into next week. Six days a year reach 100-degrees or hotter in the Salt Lake Valley, on average and as of Tuesday there have been four days.

Epicenter of the Heat
This is a dangerous heat wave. Take safety precautions against the heat.
Those playing or working outdoors, as well as those without access to air conditioning, will face an elevated risk of heat-related illness. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 25 percent of homes, apartments, condos in the states of Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming do not have air conditioning.
Remember to never leave kids or pets unattended in cars and drink more water than usual. Wear light-colored clothing and keep your head and body cooler with a hat. Take frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.

New Record Highs

Here is a list of the all-time record highs tied or broken (all Sunday, June 28, unless otherwise noted):
  • Chief Joseph Dam, Washington, hit 113 degrees, topping the previous all-time record of 110 degrees most recently set on July 23, 2006. This is located near the town of Bridgeport, in north-central Washington. Records date to 1949.
  • LaCrosse, Washington, tied their all-time record high of 113 degrees, set previously on Aug. 4, 1961. LaCrosse is in eastern Washington, about 40 miles west-northwest of Pullman. Records, there, date to 1931.
  • Chelan, Washington, reached 110 degrees, topping their previous all-time record set just one day earlier (109 degrees). Prior to this heat wave, their all-time record was 106 degrees set most recently on July 22, 1985. Records date to 1890.
  • Omak, Washington, also reached 110 degrees, topping their previous all-time record of 109 degrees set on July 8, 2001. Records date to 1931.
  • Bonners Ferry, Idaho, soared to 105 degrees, eclipsing their previous all-time record of 104 degrees on July 16, 1941. Records date to 1907. 
Here is a rundown of the June record highs tied or broken Sunday:
  • Walla Walla, Washington, hit 113 degrees. According to Weather Underground weather historian Christopher Burt, if validated this reading will establish a new June record high not just for Walla Walla, but the entire state of Washington. That record is 112 degrees at John Day Dam on June 18, 1961. Of course, Sunday's high also crushed the June record of 109 set just a day earlier, which in turn beat the record of 107 set June 23, 1992.
  • Lewiston, Idaho, reached 111 degrees. This broke the previous June high of 109 set on June 22, 1936. Burt says this too may be a new June record for the state of Idaho, surpassing the 110 degrees recorded at six different locations.
  • Boise, Idaho, topped out at 110 degrees. This replaced the previous June high of 109 set June 19, 1940. It also missed Boise's all-time record high by 1 degree, and was the hottest day in Boise since a high of 110 on Aug. 4, 1961.
  • Ephrata, Washington, hit 110 degrees to break the record of 107 set Saturday. Previously 106 was the June record from June 30, 1998. Sunday goes down as the second-hottest day on record in Ephrata behind the 115 recorded Aug. 4, 1961.
  • Pendleton, Oregon, topped out at 109 degrees both Saturday and Sunday. Those readings broke the city's all-time June record high of 108 set June 30, 1924, and June 17, 1961. June records in Pendleton go back to 1893.
  • Yakima, Washington, reached 108 degrees both Saturday and Sunday. Those broke the previous June high of 105 set June 23, 1992, and just tied earlier in June. Official National Weather Service records for Yakima go as far back as 1946.
  • Spokane, Washington, hit 105 degrees Sunday. That broke a record that had only stood for one day – 102 degrees on Saturday. Before this heat wave the June record had been 101 on June 23, 1992; records in Spokane go all the way back to 1881, making this an especially impressive record. Sunday was also the hottest day in Spokane since Aug. 4, 1961.
  • Kalispell, Montana, hit 102 degrees to crush its June record of 97 degrees just set Saturday. The previous June record was 96 set June 22, 1955, and the previous record for earliest 100-degree day was July 6 back in 2007. Temperature records there began in 1899.
  • Missoula, Montana, saw a high of 102 degrees. This breaks the previous June record high of 101 set Saturday, and marks the first consecutive triple-digit June days, there. Prior to that the June high had been 100 on June 29, 1937 and June 13, 1918. Records date back to 1893.
  • Helena, Montana, topped out at 103 degrees Saturday, which eclipsed the previous June record high of 102 degrees set June 21, 1900.
  • Meacham, Oregon, hit 101 degrees Sunday to set its third consecutive June record high. Saturday's high was 98; Friday's 93 had tied the old record of 93 from June 16, 1961. Sunday's high also beat the daily record for June 28 by a whopping 16 degrees.
Gerard Tangalan Of Seattle leans on International Fountain while cooling off at the Seattle Center July 29, 2009 in Seattle, Washington.
(Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
The following record highs for the month of June were broken on Friday and Saturday, not including cities that matched or broke them again Sunday:
  • Burns, Oregon, reached 102 degrees Saturday to break its June record of 100 set June 29, 2008, and June 30, 2013. Records in Burns go back to 1939.
  • Helena, Montana topped out at 103 degrees Saturday, beating its previous June record high of 102 degrees set in 1900. Records date back to 1880.
  • Redmond, Oregon, had a high of 101 degrees Friday to tie the all-time June record originally set there on June 25, 1968.
  • The Dalles, Oregon, tied its June record high Friday when Columbia Gorge Regional Airport, technically across the river in Washington, hit 108 degrees to match the mark set June 22, 1992.
In addition to the extreme high temperatures, daily low temperatures were unusually balmy for a region that normally drops into the 50s at night in June. The following locations have experienced their warmest daily low temperatures on record for the month of June:
  • Medford, Oregon, recorded a low of 76 on Sunday. This not only broke the June record, but the all-time record for any day of the year; the previous warmest low was 75 degrees on July 14, 1996. The previous June record was 74 on Saturday, which in turn broke the old record of 71 set June 23, 1992.
  • Lewiston, Idaho, only dipped to 78 on Sunday. That beat the previous June record of 76 set June 25, 1928. Lewiston set yet another June record Monday with a low of 79.
  • Wenatchee, Washington had a low of 77 Sunday, beating its June warm-low record of 75 set June 30, 2008.
  • Spokane, Washington, dipped no lower than 73 Sunday; the previous June record for balmiest daily low was 71 on June 30, 2008, and June 25, 1992. Spokane broke its record again Monday with a low of 74.
  • Portland, Oregon, recorded a low of 71 on Saturday (as noted above), the city's first 70-degree low ever recorded in June.
(MORE: Earth's Record Year? | How Hot is Too Hot?)
June has already been a hot month in parts of the West.
Medford, Oregon, Spokane, Washington, Boise, Idaho and Salt Lake City are likely to set their record warmest June.
Portland, Oregon, logged its eighth day of 90-degree-plus heat this month Monday, breaking the June record of six days set in 2003 and reached 91 degrees on Tuesday making it nine days of 90-degree-plus heat for June.
Meteorologist Chris Dolce contributed to this report.

MORE: Heat Waves of the Past (PHOTOS)

Fourth of July Weekend Forecast: Sizzling Northwest, Stormy East

Linda Lam
Published: June 30,2015

Parts of the Pacific Northwest will sizzle this Fourth of July weekend while some in the East will be dodging Mother Nature's fireworks.
The overall pattern that took hold over last weekend – an upper-level ridge of high pressure in the West, and a southward dip in the jet stream in the East – is expected to remain in place through the holiday weekend.
This means much of the West will remain firecracker hot, while the central and eastern U.S. will find scattered showers and thunderstorms that may dampen holiday festivities at times. A few severe thunderstorms are likely as well.
(MORE: Western Heat Wave)
Below you will find the forecast details for each day.

Friday's Forecast


Friday's Forecast














One disturbance will move off the East Coast on Friday, but a stationary front will stay draped from Virginia and the Tennessee Valley into the central Plains.
A chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms exists along and near this frontal boundary. Isolated thunderstorms should also develop in parts of the Desert Southwest, Sierra and Great Basin.
Otherwise, mainly dry weather is expected over most of the Northeast, Great Lakes, Upper Midwest, and northern Plains.
(FORECAST: New York | Chicago | Atlanta | Seattle)
Highs and lows will be close to average for this time of year, except in the West where the abnormally hot conditions will persist.
Numerous record highs are in jeopardy throughout the holiday weekend in the Pacific Northwest inland from the coast, Great Basin, and valley locations of the northern Rockies, where highs in the 90s and 100s will dominate. East of the Rockies, high temperatures will be generally in the 80s and 90s, except in New England, the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Valley where highs will be in the 70s.
(MAPS: This Week's Forecast)
Potential Wet Travel:
- Interstate 95 south of Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, Florida
- Interstate 75 from Cincinnati into south Georgia
- Interstate 40 from North Carolina to Texas and New Mexico

Fourth of July Forecast (Saturday)


Fourth of July Forecast














High pressure over the West will weaken a bit and become contaminated with mid-level moisture.
While parts of the East will see the chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms once again, it does not appear to be a washout, with most areas seeing storms of the hit and miss variety. Parts of the Plains will also see a few thunderstorms, and scattered thunderstorm coverage in the Rockies and Desert Southwest should be greater than Friday.
(FORECAST: Boston | Washington, D.C. | St. Louis | L.A.)
The good news is that the coverage of storms Saturday night will decrease in most areas with the loss of daytime heating.
The greatest chance of wet weather impacting firework displays will be found in parts of the Mid-Atlantic states, southern Appalachians and Plains. Even then, that chance appears less than 50 percent.
The rest of the East Coast, Great Lakes and much of the West will enjoy the best chance of having fireworks shows go off without a weather interruption, assuming it is not too dry in spots in the West for firework celebrations.
(MORE: Lightning Safety Tips)
The heat will continue in most of the West with temperatures up to 20 degrees above average in the interior Northwest and northern Rockies. Highs will once again climb into the 90s and lower 100s, with 60s and 70s along the immediate coast providing a good heat getaway idea.
Highs in the East will remain quite comfortable for early July, with 70s and 80s in the Midwest and Northeast with typical, muggy 90s in much of the Deep South.
Potential Travel T-Storms:
- Interstate 81 from Pennsylvania to Tennessee
- Interstate 40 from North Carolina to Arizona
- Interstate 25 from Wyoming to New Mexico

Sunday's Forecast


Sunday's Forecast














On Sunday, a cold front will slide from the northern Plains into the Upper Midwest, while a stationary front and prominent upper-level disturbance will be over the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys.
As a result, showers and thunderstorms remain a possibility from the Appalachians into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys as well as into the mid-Mississippi Valley. A few thunderstorms will likely develop ahead of the approaching cold front in the eastern Dakotas, Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin southwestward into Nebraska. Scattered thunderstorms will also flare up with the afternoon's heat in the Rockies, Desert Southwest, Great Basin and Sierra.
(FORECAST: Pittsburgh | Minneapolis | Dallas | Phoenix)
Highs will again soar into the 90s and 100s in the interior Northwest and northern Rockies,. The immediate West Coast will still be an escape from the worst of the heat.
(MAPS: 10-Day Temperature Forecast)
Locations from the Plains to the East Coast will see temperatures typical for this time of year, with highs mainly in the 80s. Any 90s should be confined to the Southeast, Deep South and central/southern Plains.
Potential Travel T-Storms:
- Interstate 70 from Ohio to St. Louis
- Interstate 65 from Tennessee to Chicago metro
- Interstate 94 in Minnesota, eastern North Dakota
- Interstate 10 in New Mexico and Arizona
MORE: Fourth of July Fireworks (PHOTOS)

This Date in Weather History for June 30,2015 from weatherforyou.com

Weather History
For Tuesday,June 30,2015
 
 
 
1886 - The second destructive hurricane in nine days hit the Apalachicola-Tallahassee area. (David Ludlum)
1942 - The temperature at Portland, OR, hit 102 degrees, an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel)
1972 - The entire state of Pennsylvania was declared a disaster area as a result of the catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes, which claimed 48 lives, and caused 2.1 billion dollars damage. (The Weather Channel)
1987 - Hot weather prevailed in the Pacific Northwest, with readings above 100 degrees reported as far north as southern British Columbia. Yakima, WA, reported a record high of 100 degrees, while temperatures near the Washington coast hovered near 60 degrees all day. Thunderstorms prevailed from southwest Texas to New England. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 100 mph at Gettysburg, PA, killed one person. High winds and large hail caused more than five million dollars damage to property and crops in Lancaster County, PA. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
1988 - Thunderstorms in eastern Kansas drenched Worden with 12.21 inches of rain, and a wall of water two to four feet deep swept through Lone Star, KS, flooding every home in the town. Up to ten inches of rain was reported southeast of Callaway, NE. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 75 mph at Winfield, KS. Seventeen cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Duluth, MN, with a reading of 36 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
1989 - Winnfield, LA, reported 22.52 inches of rain in three days, and more than thirty inches for the month, a record for June. Shreveport LA received a record 17.11 inches in June, with a total for the first six months of the year of 45.55 inches. Thunderstorms also helped produce record rainfall totals for the month of June of 13.12 inches at Birmingham AL, 14.66 inches at Oklahoma City, OK, 17.41 inches at Tallahassee FL, 9.97 inches at Lynchburg, VA, and more than 10.25 inches at Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh had also experienced a record wet month of May. (The National Weather Summary)

Pleasant Weather Ahead Across Detroit for July Fourth Weekend

By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
July 1,2015; 1:32AM,EDT
 
 
A pleasant stretch of weather is in store for the Detroit area through the July Fourth holiday weekend.
"High pressure will lead to lots of sunshine Friday and Saturday," AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis said.

Comfortable but below-normal temperatures will be the rule for the rest of the week with highs in the mid-70s. The normal high for this time of year is 83 F.
The weather will be great for baseball fans heading out to Comerica Park to see the Detroit Tigers in action over the holiday weekend.
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A chance of rain and thunderstorms may come on Monday as it becomes more humid across the region.
Keep up to date on the rainfall forecast using AccuWeather.com MinuteCast® for all of your outdoor plans.
 

Pleasant Weather to Settle Across Cleveland for July Fourth Weekend

By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
July 1,2015; 1:21AM,EDT
 
 
A pleasant stretch of weather is in store for the Cleveland area through the July Fourth holiday weekend.
"High pressure will lead to lots of sunshine Friday and Saturday, with just a slight change for a shower or thunderstorm south of Cleveland in the afternoon," AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis said.

Comfortable but below-normal temperatures will be the rule for the rest of the week with highs in the mid-70s. The normal high for this time of year is 82 F.
RELATED:
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A better chance of rain and thunderstorms may come on Monday as it becomes more humid in northeast Ohio.
It comes as the Cleveland Indians start a pre-All-Star Game home stand against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field.
Keep up to date on the rainfall forecast using AccuWeather.com MinuteCast® for all of your holiday weekend plans.

Dry Lightning to Increase Wildfire Risk Across Western US, Canada

By , AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist
June 30,2015; 11:53PM,EDT
 
 
The combination of excessive heat and dry thunderstorms in many areas will add to the wildfire threat in the western part of United States and Canada through much of July.
High temperatures over much of the interior western U.S. will range from 95 to 105 F this week. Some places in the Southwest will get even hotter. Sunday was the hottest June day on record for many areas east of the Cascades in Washington state.
T-storm and Risk for Fires on the Increase for Southwest
The nature of the current weather pattern tends to favor thunderstorm formation, but low doses of moisture in many cases will stop drenching rainfall from reaching widespread areas of the West.
The risk of thunderstorms will diminish in the Northwest by midweek as a punch of dry air moves in from the Pacific Ocean.

However, the risk of thunderstorms will continue in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, and in many parts of the southwestern U.S.
According to AccuWeather Western Weather Expert Ken Clark, "With the onset of the monsoon season, the chance of fires has greatly risen in the West."
The western U.S. monsoon is associated with the northward spread of tropical moisture, mainly from Mexico. This moisture then becomes trapped beneath a lingering high pressure system. Daytime heating, combined with the moisture produces thunderstorms. How moist the air is near the ground determines whether or not significant rain is able to reach the ground before evaporating.
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According to the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center, there was an average of 10,600 wildland fires started by lightning during the period from 2001 to 2013.
Activities such as fishing, camping or hiking as thunderstorms rapidly develop during the midday and afternoon hours could be dangerous. Storms over the high country in the West tend to spring up faster than storms in the East where the elevation is generally lower.
The number of deaths from people struck by lightning while fishing and camping in the U.S. dwarfs that of golfing a NOAA report stated.
"Lightning can strike miles away from a thunderstorm with and without rain," Clark said.
Because of the ongoing heat and low humidity, in addition to being a potential target for lightning when in wide open places, people need to be extremely careful with campfires, outdoor power equipment and parking vehicles over high brush.
"Lightning along with man, accidental or deliberate, are the two main causes of wildfires in the West," Clark said.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, humans cause an average of 62,100 fires in the U.S. each year.
In western Canada, it has been a rough wildfire season already, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
"The smoke from fires in British Columbia and Alberta is being blown downstream into parts of the Upper Midwest and occasionally farther to the southeast," Anderson said.
Thus far this year, there have been 1,158,432 hectares burned in Canada, this compared to 399,070 hectares through late June last year, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Smoke from western Canada fires can bee seen in this NASA satellite photo from Sunday, June 28, 2015.
The smoke has been contributing to rounds of poor air quality in the Midwest and to some extent dimming sunshine, producing hazy conditions and making for colorful sunsets as far downstream as parts of the Atlantic Seaboard.

Parts of western Canada will experience a couple of rounds of thunderstorms this week. A few of the storms will bring significant moisture at the local level, but many may not.
The same is true for the southwestern U.S., which will have near daily storms. As humidity levels rise in the Southwest, the chances of getting a drenching storm versus a dry storm will increase this month.
By the time the moisture reaches the Northwest, a higher percentage of the storms will bring little or no rainfall.

Fireworks to Dazzle Viewers in These Top 10 July Fourth Weekend Destinations

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
June 30,2015; 11:51PM,EDT
 
As Americans around the country prepare to celebrate our nation's independence this Saturday, a close eye will be kept on the weather to determine if they will be able to enjoy a dazzling display of fireworks.
Below are the top 10 Fourth of July weekend destinations for 2015 as compiled by Priceline.com, which ranked each location by the total number of advanced hotel bookings for the holiday.
For visitors and local residents planning to celebrate July Fourth in any of these locations, here are some of the biggest fireworks extravaganzas in each city and the forecast.
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AccuWeather.com Videowall

1. Chicago
Fireworks explode over Lake Michigan Sunday, July 4, 2010, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
Chicago's Navy Pier is one of the top tourist destinations in the city and provides a great setting for the July Fourth fireworks. Spectators can watch the show from the pier or take an evening cruse out on Lake Michigan for a different perspective. Prior to the fireworks, which are scheduled for 9:30 p.m., spectators can take part in the second annual Freedom Fest.
Chicago is also home to two Major League Baseball teams and both the White Sox and Cubs will be home this weekend, giving baseball fans several options to choose from. The White Sox host the Baltimore Orioles at U.S. Cellular Field at 1:10 p.m. CDT, while the Cubs will welcome the Miami Marlins at 6:15 p.m. CDT at historic Wrigley Field. For fans that can't make it to Navy Pier, following the Cubs game, there will be a fireworks show.
AccuWeather Meteorologist John Feerick said to expect temperatures a little bit below average for the holiday with sunny skies and low humidity. Daytime highs are forecast to settle into the upper 70s; a common high temperature for July 4 is 84 F.
Dry weather is expected for outdoor plans, he said.
2. Las Vegas
Light from Independence Day weekend fireworks is reflected in the water in front of the Bellagio Hotel as they explode over Caesar's Palace on The Strip, Sunday, July 3, 2011, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
For those frequenting the Las Vegas strip this Independence Day, triple-digit heat is expected.
It will be seasonably hot with highs near 108 F and partly sunny skies, AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Edwards said. A normal high for this time of year is 102 F, he added.
There are several options for fireworks displays around Las Vegas with shows slated for Caesar's Palace, The Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower and Mandalay Bay, in addition to several others.
3. Washington, D.C.
Fireworks illuminate the sky over the U.S. Capitol building and the Washington Monument during Fourth of July celebrations, on Friday, July 4, 2014, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
At 9:09 p.m. EDT, fireworks will emblazen the night sky across the National Mall in our nation's capital. According to the National Park Service, the fireworks will be launched from the reflecting pool area and will be visible in many areas across the District and Virginia.
Temperatures will hover in the mid-80s, which will be near average for Independence Day. There will be good chance for a thunderstorm, especially during the afternoon, Feerick said.
Nationals fans planning to attend the game between the Nationals and San Francisco Giants at 11:05 a.m. EDT may want to bring a rain jacket in case storms rumble through during the latter portion of the game. Check AccuWeather MinuteCast® to see when rain may start during the game.
4. Orlando
Fireworks over Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. (Photo/Flickr user Anthony Quintano)
Residents and visitors in central Florida will want to check out Orlando's "Fireworks at the Fountain" event, which runs from 4-10 p.m. at Lake Eola Park in Downtown Orlando. At 9:10 p.m., the sky will flash various shades of red, white and blue as the event promises a patriotic fireworks display over Lake Eola.
At Walt Disney World Resort, three different theme parks will provide several opportunities for fireworks viewing.
Along with intervals of clouds and sun, temperatures will be in the low 90s, which is right around normal for July Fourth, according to Feerick.
"As usual, there can be a garden variety afternoon thunderstorm," he said.
5. San Diego
Fireworks over Coronado Bridge (Photo/Hornblower Cruises and Events)
Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. PDT for the "Big Bay Boom" in San Diego Bay, where fireworks will be launched from four different barges in a choreographed display. At 10:30 p.m., SeaWorld San Diego will present its guests with a fireworks show of its own.
Pleasant weather will unfold over San Diego this Fourth of July.
"Saturday will be nice with highs near 73 F, which is right around normal for this time of year," Edwards said.
6. Orange County, California
Fans watch a fireworks show after a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Tampa Bay Rays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
The weather will cooperate for a number of holiday events across Orange County, including the OC Block Party at Angels Stadium of Anaheim, the Fourth of July Celebration at Huntingdon Beach Pier, or an Independence Day concert in Laguna Beach.
The common theme will be partly sunny skies with high temperatures in the lower 80s, which is also right around normal for this time of year, according to Edwards.
7. New York City
Fireworks light up the sky above the Brooklyn Bridge during Macy's Fourth of July fireworks show, Friday, July 4, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
The 39th annual Macy's Fourth of July fireworks show is set for 9 p.m., and spectators will want to head to Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Heights Promenade or and along the east side of Lower Manhattan for the best view, according to NYCgo. For more information on where to view the show, click here.
Macy's is also promising a star-studded event with performances from Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley and Meghan Trainor, in addition to several other artists.
"Temperatures will be pretty close to average for July 4 [low 80s F]," Feerick said. "The day probably starts out rain-free, but there could be a couple of thunderstorms around in the afternoon with increased humidity."
In the afternoon, the Yankees will host the Rays at 1:05 p.m. EDT, while the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Competition will take place on Coney Island. Spectators should keep a close eye on the sky in the event of changing weather conditions. At the first sign of thunder or lightning, seek shelter immediately.
8. Seattle
A fireworks display over Seattle as photographed from Gasworks park on Lake Union on July 4, 2011. (Photo/Flickr user Andrew E. Larsen)
Seattle will celebrate our nation's birthday with the Seafair Summer Fourth. A full day of events and fun interactive activities comprises Seafair Summer Fourth with the fireworks scheduled for 10:20 p.m. PDT.
Seattle will experience "well above-normal" temperatures with plenty of sunshine, according to Edwards. A normal high for July 4 in the city is around 74 F.
"Highs will reach close to the record of 91 F set back in 1972," he said.
9. New Orleans
This aerial photo, shows a Fourth of July fireworks celebration over the Mississippi River in New Orleans, on Friday, July 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans is planing to put on a show-stopping fireworks display over the Mississippi River as part of its 25th annual "Go 4th on the River" event. Beginning around 9 p.m. the fireworks will be launched from two separate barges in the middle of the river in what turns into a competition of sorts as the barges compete against one another by spewing an impressive display of fireworks, according to the event's website.
Feerick said that temperatures will be very close to average, with an afternoon and evening thunderstorm in parts of the area. However, much of the day should be rain-free. Daytime highs are forecast to be in the low 90s F on Saturday.
10. Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles Fireworks. (Photo/MattGush/iStock/Thinkstock)
A block party is planned at Grand Park in Los Angeles, featuring food, music and of course fireworks. The fireworks will commence at 9 p.m, while closer to the water, the Marina Del Rey fireworks are also slated to start at 9 p.m.
Partly sunny skies with high temperatures near 80 F, which is near normal for this time of year, are expected for Los Angeles, Edwards said.
Baseball fans heading to Chavez Ravine for Saturday's 4:15 p.m. PDT matchup between the Dodgers and the Mets will want to stay for post-game fireworks.

Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Kevin Byrne at Kevin.Byrne@accuweather.com, follow him on Twitter at @Accu_Kevin. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook and Google+.
 

Rounds of Showers, Severe Storms to Swipe at Eastern and Southern US Through Friday

By Brian Lada, Meteorologist
June 30,2015; 11:49PM,EDT
 
 
Two disturbances tracking eastward from the Plains will bring bouts of showers and thunderstorms to the Ohio Valley, East and South through the rest of the week.
The first of the disturbances is expected to take a more northerly track early in the week, while the second swings father south late in the week, shifting the axis of the heaviest showers and storms.
Breaking: Storms Target Northeast Tuesday Evening
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski, through Wednesday, showers and thunderstorms will stretch from New England to the Deep South.
"Some of the storms will be locally severe with strong wind gusts, hail and flash flooding," Sosnowski said.

This includes parts of the Interstate 64, I-70, I-77, I-80, I-81, I-85 and I-95 corridors.
A brief tornado could also be spawned by a couple of the strongest and longest-lived thunderstorms.
"The metro areas of many major cities could be hit by a disruptive storm or something more severe," Sosnowski said. "This includes Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C."

By Thursday, the second disturbance will enter the picture, taking a more southerly path.
As a result, the main corridor of showers and storms will shift south, allowing some drying to expand from the Great Lakes region to New England.

This second disturbance is also likely to bring the heaviest rain of the week and the risk of flooding to the Tennessee Valley, the southern Appalachians and part of the southern Atlantic Seaboard.
Nashville and Knoxville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Lexington and Bowling Green, Kentucky, may end up receiving 1 to 2 inches of rain on Thursday alone.
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"The ground in many places is saturated, so any rain is going to be considered excessive by a lot of folks, especially in light of one of the wettest Junes on record," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Joe Lundberg.

Rivers are likely to swell from the rapid rainfall rate, leading to flooding in unprotected low-lying areas located near the banks of rivers across the region.
Even through the rain is not expected to be as heavy heading into Friday, any additional rainfall from showers and thunderstorms could spark more flooding issues due to the heavily saturated ground.
Showers and thunderstorms will not end in the East with the conclusion of the week, carrying over into the holiday weekend.

The Fourth of July is not expected to be a complete washout anywhere in the East, but showers and thunderstorms can still lead to interruptions in parades, cookouts and firework displays across a large swath of the East.
Areas most likely to experience thunderstorms or drenching downpours will stretch from the southern part of the Ohio Valley and the Tennessee Valley to the central and southern Appalachians and the middle part of the Atlantic coast on Saturday evening. However, that zone could shift farther north or south, due to weak steering winds.

Rare Leap Second to Make June 30 Longest Day of the Year

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
June 30,2015; 11:47PM,EDT
 
 
Tuesday, June 30, will be the longest day of the year by exactly 1 second.
In order to keep timing with Earth's slowing rotation, one second will be tacked on to the end of the day. The leap second is a way of balancing Coordinated Universal Time with the gravitational tug of war between Earth, the moon and the sun, NASA said.
While many celebrated the "longest day of the year" on Sunday, June 21, as summer officially kicked off, the length was referring to the number of daylight hours, not solar time.
Flying over East Asia, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) took this night image of the Korean Peninsula. (Flickr Photo/NASA)
A typical day consists of 86,400 seconds in UTC time. However, each solar day is about 86,400.002 seconds long. To make up for the difference, the leap second was introduced.
Still, figuring out when a leap second will be needed can be unpredictable. Factors such as El NiƱo, seasonal and weather variations, as well as deviations in oceans, groundwater and ice storage can alter the length of each solar day.
"In the short term, leap seconds are not as predictable as everyone would like," said Chopo Ma, a geophysicist at Goddard and a member of the directing board of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service. "The modeling of the Earth predicts that more and more leap seconds will be called for in the long-term, but we can't say that one will be needed every year."
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The leap second was first introduced in 1972 and added about once a year until 1999. Tuesday's leap second will be just the fourth since 2000.
NASA said the lack of needed seconds since the turn of the century cannot be fully explained, but sudden geological events, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, can affect Earth's rotation in the short-term.

Dallas: Dry, Seasonable Weather for July Fourth Weekend

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
June 30,2015; 11:34PM,EDT
 
 
Seasonably warm weather will persist across the Dallas area through the upcoming holiday weekend.
It will be breezy, with temperatures in the mid-90s F, and plenty of sunshine through Thursday, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Edwards. Temperatures in the mid-90s are common for this time of year.
By Friday, temperatures will decrease slightly into the low 90s.

"Similar weather can be expected Friday [and] into the weekend with generally rain-free conditions," Edwards said.
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Baseball fans looking to catch a game between the Rangers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Globe Life Parks shouldn't have to worry about the weather interfering with play on the field or post-game fireworks shows.
Independence Day fireworks shows and parades should also go off without a hitch.
After receiving more than 12 inches of rain in May, Dallas experienced a drier June, receiving just under 4 inches for the month.