Will July 4 Rain Affect MD Fireworks? See Forecast

MARYLAND — The Fourth of July forecast is looking a bit dicey. That leaves Marylanders questioning their Independence Day fireworks plans.

Tuesday and Wednesday should be dry, but then the clouds roll in. There are daily chances of rain and thunderstorms from Thursday through Saturday, which is when many Maryland fireworks displays are scheduled.

Highs in the low- to mid-90s are expected through at least Monday.

"The combination of the heat and humidity will lead to a risk of an afternoon thunderstorm in not only Philadelphia but much of the mid-Atlantic," AccuWeather said in a national July 4 forecast. "That said, some locations in the region will escape with a dry day."

Last week's heat wave left the ground quite dry in some areas. AccuWeather cautioned that fireworks may spark fires if it doesn't rain before the holiday.

"Rapidly developing drought conditions across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast will make it easier for fireworks to spark brushfires, especially with very little rain expected in the days leading up to July 4," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brian Thompson said.

Read Patch's Maryland fireworks guide to find the displays closest to you.

Related: Maryland July 4th Fireworks Guide 2024

Here is the seven-day forecast from the National Weather Service at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport:

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. East wind 6 to 8 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 91. South wind 5 to 11 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Independence Day: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. South wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.

Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Chance of precipitation is 30%.