NORFOLK, Va. — Fireworks are a staple of most Fourth of July celebrations. Gathering with family or friends to watch a beautiful display is as American as apple pie.
But the difference between being captivated by a magnificent firework show, and just seeing fireworks may come down to a few key weather conditions.
Thunderstorms near a planned display can cause a postponement or cancellation. Lightning can threaten spectators, but gusty and erratic strong winds can create a host of problems too.
FORECAST: Hot and humid 4th of July
Most professionals will not want to set off their fireworks once winds get 20 to 30 miles an hour or higher.
While rain itself doesn't have a direct impact on the brilliance of fireworks, high humidity can. Evenings with high humidity, or when a temperature inversion sets up can often lead to a layer of smoke from fireworks getting trapped in the lower atmosphere. That lingering smoke can be an irritant for some, and take away from the beauty of the display.
Lingering smoke can also be an issue if the winds are too light.
You also should consider how dry or moist the soil and vegetation are around a planned display. Much of Virginia and North Carolina was in moderate drought earlier this year, but the recent heavy rain we picked up in June and the past few days in July have helped considerably!
The best weather conditions for fireworks are nights when there is a high cloud ceiling, low humidity, and light winds blowing away from spectators.
Tonight, we are generally looking at south and southwest winds from 5 to 15 miles per hour. The winds may be more in the 10 to 20 miles per hour near the coast, and 10 to 25 miles per hour over some parts of eastern North Carolina. A few isolated storms are possible, mainly in North Carolina, but most of southeast Virginia should be partly cloudy with only a very low risk of a shower or storm. So right now it's looking pretty good for the firework shows.
