Planning a picnic in Miami or a drive to Disney? Pay attention to July 4 forecast
But that may not be fireworks.
Thunder, lightning and dousing rain are in the forecast for Florida's holiday hot spots, including Miami, the Keys, Orlando and Sanibel-Captiva.
Storm chances run between 50% and 80% in most of these destinations, with South Florida and Orlando near the top of the percentage scale.
Blame it on a potential tropical system that could challenge North Florida in the next week, according to the National Hurricane Center. A stalled front traveling south could help drag wetness across the state.
MORE: Florida could get soaked this weekend as potential tropical system looms
Here's a rundown:
Miami-Fort Lauderdale area
Focusing in on South Florida, the crummy weather begins Wednesday with an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day, with temperatures running between 82 and 86.
▪ Thursday, when your attention is on packing the car for a road trip on the three-day weekend, features a 70% chance of storms from 2 p.m. onward.
▪ Friday, Independence Day, when fireworks are scheduled from Coral Gables to Key Biscayne, Hialeah to South Beach and Miami Springs to Fort Lauderdale, the rain chances are 70% during the day and 50% at night, as of the Wednesday weather service forecast.
▪ Saturday and Sunday bring more of the same — 70% Saturday and 50% Sunday.
▪ Relief comes after we head back to work on Monday, but unsettled weather will still bring a 30% to 50% rain chance into Tuesday.
Florida Keys
Key West, we like you a bit more this holiday weekend. Oh, you're going to give us a 50-50 chance of disappointment on July 4 and 5, with lingering 30% rain or storms Sunday. But 50% is better than 70% unless you're a yard plant.
Orlando
Donald Duck might be OK with the 80% storm chance Thursday through Independence Day Friday and the lingering 70% Saturday and Sunday soakers. People heading to the resort town with tickets to Disney or Universal in hand might gripe.
Sanibel-Captiva
With The Bubble Room set for its reopening on July 14 and The Mucky Duck's owner telling CBS he hopes to have his island favorite restaurant rebuilt by the fall and in time for Christmas, signs of Captiva and Sanibel's rebirth after last year's twin hurricanes Helene and Milton hearten.
While these popular Florida West Coast attractions aren't ready for July 4, we still know that some of you plan to head to one of Florida's loveliest beach getaways for the holiday weekend. That string of 80% to 90% breezy and thunderstormy days in the forecast from Wednesday through Sunday are not cause for celebrations.
Tampa-Ste. Pete
An almost certain chance of thunderstorms and showers at 80% to 90% from Wednesday through Sunday.
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