Fourth of July Weather: Will Illinois Fireworks Go On?

ILLINOIS — More Americans than ever will be traveling for the Fourth of July holiday. Nearly 49 million Americans will celebrate the Independence Day holiday with a trip on the roadways. But with the rainy and stormy weather we've had in recent weeks, many are concerned the weather will impact travel or, more importantly, fireworks shows. Will it? The answer is: maybe.

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The National Weather Service said scattered thunderstorms are possible Wednesday and Wednesday night, with the highest likelihood of storms (30 percent chance) between 2 and 10 p.m.

For Thursday, there is a 50 percent chance of storms during the day and a 30 percent chance in the evening.

Since the majority of fireworks shows are on July 3 and July 4, here's a look at the weather for those days.

• WEDNESDAY: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming east southeast around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
• WEDNESDAY NIGHT: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
• THURSDAY: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Heat index values as high as 96. Light and variable wind becoming south southwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• THURSDAY NIGHT: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

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The weather will remain warm and humid through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. If you're traveling out of town, the weekend weather will be slightly cooler and mainly dry.

If severe weather does hit, it could be a repeat of last year's stormy 4th of July. Storms on the 4th turned dangerous in 2018, with three people struck by lightning, including a toddler, and two people killed by a downed tree branch at fireworks shows. Check to make sure your local fireworks display hasn't been cancelled before you head out on the 4th, and take shelter if the weather takes a turn for the worse.