A holiday weekend forecast worth saluting?

By Peter Mucha, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: July 01, 2011

Except for "very, very scattered" thunderstorms possibly on Sunday, the forecast for the Fourth of July Weekend looks good, says meteorologist Greg Heavener of the National Weather Service.

Highs will hover around the 90 mark through Monday, with overnight lows around 70.

Although humidity will be up a bit, "it's not going to be completely oppressive," Heavener said.

At the Shore, highs should be about 10 degrees cooler than in the city, he said.

No rain is mentioned for Monday, when Philadelphia hosts its Parkway extravanganzas, the noon-to-7 p.m. festival/party followed by the Fourth of July Jam, headlined by the Roots, and the Grand Finale Fireworks.

Fireworks Saturday evening - including the city's show off Penn's Landing, following an afternoon and evening ice cream festival - should have clear skies, as rain holds off till after midnight.

Sunday's the more dubious day, with a 30 percent chance of storms into the evening. So umbrellas might be handy for the 8 p.m. Philly Pops concert on Independence Mall or for fireworks in Doylestown, Coatesville, Chester, Lower Chichester, Norwood, Washington Township and Gloucester City.

Thunderstorms are tricky to predict, but concerns were low about severe conditions, like high winds or large hail, Heavener said.

The stretch of slightly above-normal temperatures should continue Tuesday and Wednesday, with rain again a possibility on Thursday.

For more on the forecast, go to http://go.philly.com/weather.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.