ROANOKE, VA – Thomas Jefferson had a journal where he recorded weather conditions on a daily basis. Before signing the Declaration of Independence, he actually purchased a thermometer from a local merchant and recorded a temperature of 76 degrees at 1 p.m. in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia will be much warmer than that today at 92 degrees, as will we at 95 degrees.
The heat and humidity ramping up will fuel thunderstorm development in the afternoon and evening, with frequent lightning in the evening. This could delay 4th of July plans such as fireworks and cookouts. Some storms could produce localized downpours capable of isolated flooding.
If you do wish to see fireworks tonight, be sure to see them at a professional event and don’t light them yourself. The entire state of Virginia is currently in a drought, and one spark could set off a devastating fire.
Tomorrow will be warmer, maxing out with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s. The threat of thunderstorms lingers into tomorrow, and could be stronger than today. Heat indices appear to approach the 100 degree mark due to the ample moisture and heat. Be sure to take breaks and stay hydrated if spending time outside.
Luckily, we’ll cool off a bit this weekend and into next week. An isolated shower or storm is possible each day for the foreseeable future, but none will be strong or severe after tomorrow.
Further south, Beryl still churns in the Caribbean as a category three storm with winds of 125 MPH. While further weakening is expected, Beryl is still a dangerous storm and will continue west. Texas will likely get hit with Beryl as a tropical storm or category one hurricane early next week.