A rainy Fourth of July in Fort Worth? Here are some ideas for celebrating indoors
The National Weather Service predicts a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday, with a temperature high of 89 degrees. There has not been a stormy Fourth of July since 2019, according to the NWS historical climate data.
But just because the weather is gray, does not mean we can't still celebrate the red, white and blue — it just may need to be an indoor party.
The National Weather Service warns against swimming during a thunderstorm because of the risk of lightning. The general rule of thumb is, 'if thunder roars, go indoors.' It's best to get out of any body of water and stay inside until 30 minutes after the last thunder clap.
Here's a few ideas on how you can celebrate Fourth of July safely inside.
[MORE: Summer rain is 'leaning below' normal for North Texas]
The holiday is just as much about the food as it is about celebrating America's independence.
One way you can celebrate is by hosting a potluck and making it into a contest. And even better, you can also host a hot dog eating contest.
It is not always safe to be by a metal grill during a thunderstorm, so be sure to check your local forecast and listen for thunder to decide whether or not to grill inside. You can also try recipes that don't require a barbecue.
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Games are the best way to stay occupied while inside. Create teams and attempt your favorite game show.
Fourth of July themed Jeopardy
Fourth of July themed Family Feud
Card games
Twister
Long form games like Catan or Monopoly are great for a rainy day.
This one may seem lame to be glued to the TV during a holiday, but it may help you feel a little more festive.
Rangers play the Padres at 1:40 p.m. Watch on Fubo, MLB.TV or Sling TV.
Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. Watch on ESPN.
John Deere Classic, golf tournament at 3 to 6 p.m. Watch on the Golf Channel or ESPN+.
PBS A Capitol Fourth, livestreamed from the lawn of the nation's capitol in D.C. Watch on PBS.
CNN's the Fourth in America, fireworks and live music performances. Watch on CNN.
FOX's The Big Independence Day Special. Watch on FOX.
Macy's 4th of July Fireworks, livestream of New York City's firework show. Watch on NBC and Peacock.
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CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Tropical Storm Chantal expected to make landfall in South Carolina
Tropical Storm Chantal was forecast to make landfall in South Carolina early Sunday, expected to bring heavy rainfall to the Carolinas. Chantal became a tropical storm Saturday morning about 150 miles off the coast of South Carolina, prompting tropical storm warnings for portions of the Carolinas. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center forecasted Chantal to make landfall between Charleston, South Carolina and Cape Fear, North Carolina, early Sunday morning. Forecasters said the storm is expected to turn to the northeast by Sunday night and the center of Chantal is expected to move across the coast of South Carolina that day. As of 11 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday, Chantal had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving north at about 8 mph. It was centered about 65 miles east of Charleston. There were concerns of flash flooding in South Carolina overnight Saturday, the hurricane center said. "Little change in strength is expected before landfall, with rapid weakening forecast after landfall," the hurricane center said in its latest advisory. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division earlier said it expected the storm to begin impacting the state Saturday, bringing heavy rain, isolated flash flooding, gusty winds, and high rip currents through Monday. Tropical storm warnings were issued from the South Santee River in South Carolina to Surf City, North Carolina, while a tropical storm watch was issued from Edisto Beach to the South Santee River. Forecasters expect Chantal to produce heavy rainfall across portions of the coastal plain of the Carolinas through Monday with a total rainfall of two to four inches, with local amounts up to six inches. This could result in flash flooding. The Atlantic hurricane season is from June 1 until Nov. 30, with peak activity typically occurring between mid-August and mid-October. NOAA officials predicted a 60% chance of an "above-normal" Atlantic hurricane season, with between 13 to 19 named storms. Six to 10 of those are expected to strengthen into hurricanes, and three to five could become major hurricanes, forecasters said.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Live Updates: Desperate Search for Missing in Texas Floods as Death Toll Passes 50
Texas officials have blamed the Weather Service for issuing forecasts on Wednesday that underestimated how much rain was coming. But the staffing shortages present a more complicated picture. Crucial positions at the local offices of the National Weather Service were unfilled as severe rainfall inundated parts of Central Texas on Friday morning, prompting some experts to question whether staffing shortages made it harder for the forecasting agency to coordinate with local emergency managers as floodwaters rose. Texas officials appeared to blame the Weather Service for issuing forecasts on Wednesday that underestimated how much rain was coming. But former Weather Service officials said the forecasts were as good as could be expected, given the enormous levels of rainfall and the storm's unusually abrupt escalation. The staffing shortages suggested a separate problem, those former officials said — the loss of experienced people who would typically have helped communicate with local authorities in the hours after flash flood warnings were issued overnight. The shortages are among the factors likely to be scrutinized as the death toll climbs from the floods. Separate questions have emerged about the preparedness of local communities, including Kerr County's apparent lack of a local flood warning system. The county, roughly 50 miles northwest of San Antonio, is where many of the deaths occurred. In an interview, Rob Kelly, the Kerr County judge and its most senior elected official, said the county did not have a warning system because such systems are expensive, and local residents are resistant to new spending. 'Taxpayers won't pay for it,' Mr. Kelly said. Asked if people might reconsider in light of the catastrophe, he said, 'I don't know.' The National Weather Service's San Angelo office, which is responsible for some of the areas hit hardest by Friday's flooding, was missing a senior hydrologist, staff forecaster and meteorologist in charge, according to Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, the union that represents Weather Service workers. The Weather Service's nearby San Antonio office, which covers other areas hit by the floods, also had significant vacancies, including a warning coordination meteorologist and science officer, Mr. Fahy said. Staff members in those positions are meant to work with local emergency managers to plan for floods, including when and how to warn local residents and help them evacuate. That office's warning coordination meteorologist left on April 30, after taking the early retirement package the Trump administration used to reduce the number of federal employees, according to a person with knowledge of his departure. Some of the openings may predate the current Trump administration. But at both offices, the vacancy rate is roughly double what it was when Mr. Trump returned to the White House in January, according to Mr. Fahy. John Sokich, who until January was director of congressional affairs for the National Weather Service, said those unfilled positions made it harder to coordinate with local officials because each Weather Service office works as a team. 'Reduced staffing puts that in jeopardy,' he said. A spokeswoman for the National Weather Service, Erica Grow Cei, did not answer questions from The New York Times about the Texas vacancies, including how long those positions had been open and whether those vacancies had contributed to the damage caused by the flooding. 'The National Weather Service is heartbroken by the tragic loss of life,' she said in a statement, adding that the agency 'remains committed to our mission to serve the American public through our forecasts and decision support services.' A White House spokeswoman directed a request for comment to the Commerce Department, which includes the Weather Service. The department did not respond to a request for comment. The tragedy began to unfold in the early hours of July 4, when more than 10 inches of rain fell in some areas northwest of San Antonio, including in Kerr County, where more than 850 people were evacuated by rescuers. As of Saturday evening, 27 girls from a Christian summer camp remained missing. That night, Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, appeared to fault the Weather Service, noting that forecasters on Wednesday had predicted as much as six to eight inches of rain in the region. 'The amount of rain that fell in this specific location was never in any of those forecasts,' he said at a news conference with Gov. Greg Abbott. But what makes flash floods so hazardous is their ability to strike quickly, with limited warning. Around midnight on Thursday, the San Angelo and San Antonio weather offices put out their first flash flood warnings, urging people to 'move immediately to higher ground.' The office sent out additional flash flood warnings through the night, expanding the area of danger. It is not clear what steps local officials took to act on those warnings. A spokesman for the Kerr County emergency management department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The amount of rain that fell Friday morning was hard for the Weather Service to anticipate, with reports in some areas of 15 inches over just a few hours, according to Louis W. Uccellini, who was director of the National Weather Service from 2013 until 2022. 'It's pretty hard to forecast for these kinds of rainfall rates,' Dr. Uccellini said. He said that climate change was making extreme rainfall events more frequent and severe, and that more research was needed so that the Weather Service could better forecast those events. An equally important question, he added, was how the Weather Service was coordinating with local emergency managers to act on those warnings as they came in. Image Most of the deaths occurred in Kerr County. Credit... Michel Fortier/The San Antonio Express-News, via Associated Press 'You have to have a response mechanism that involves local officials,' Dr. Uccellini said. 'It involves a relationship with the emergency management community, at every level.' But that requires having staff members in those positions, he said. Under the Trump administration, the Weather Service, like other federal agencies, has been pushed to reduce its number of employees. By this spring, through layoffs and retirements, the Weather Service had lost nearly 600 people from a work force that until recently was as large as 4,000. Some forecasting offices began to close down at night, and others launched fewer weather balloons, which send back crucial data to feed forecasts. The Weather Service said it was preparing for 'degraded operations,' with fewer meteorologists available to fine-tune forecasts. Last month, despite a government hiring freeze, the Weather Service announced a plan to hire 126 people in positions around the country, in what Ms. Cei, the agency's spokeswoman, described as an effort to 'stabilize' the department. As of this week, those jobs had not been posted in the federal government's hiring portal. Mr. Sokich said that the local Weather Service offices appeared to have sent out the correct warnings. He said the challengewas getting people to receive those warnings, and then take action. Image Under the Trump administration, the Weather Service, like other federal agencies, has been pushed to reduce its number of employees. Credit... Jordan Vonderhaar for The New York Times Typically, Mr. Sokich said, the Weather Service will send an official to meet regularly with local emergency managers for what are called 'tabletop operations' — planning ahead of time for what to do in case of a flash flood or other major weather disaster. But the Trump administration's pursuit of fewer staff members means remaining employees have less time to spend coordinating with local officials, he said. The Trump administration has also put strict limits on new hires at the Weather Service, Mr. Sokich said. So unlike during previous administrations, when these vacancies could have quickly been filled, the agency now has fewer options. The Trump administration also froze spending on travel, he added, making it even harder for Weather Service staff members to meet with their state and local counterparts. That does not mean there is not room for cuts at the Weather Service, Mr. Sokich said. 'But you need to do them deliberately and thoughtfully,' he said. David Montgomery and Judson Jones contributed reporting.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
CWG Live updates: More humid today as storm chances gradually return early this week
Welcome to updated around-the-clock by Capital Weather Gang meteorologists. Happening now: Higher humidity arrives today with typical summer highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. Tropical Storm Chantal could throw a few showers our way by this evening. What's next? Daily shower and storm chances settle in this week, thanks to a stalled front and tropical moisture, as we stay seasonably hot and very humid. Today's daily digit — 7/10: Another good one for the pool, with plenty of sun and highs near 90. But rising humidity signals a muggy week ahead. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Sunday): Mostly sunny, with seasonable daytime highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. The humidity is on the rise thanks to a light wind from the south. Can't rule out an isolated afternoon shower or thunderstorm. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: A few evening showers and a thundershower are possible, especially south and southwest of D.C., if enough moisture from Tropical Storm Chantal makes it this far north. Otherwise partly cloudy and muggy with overnight lows in the low to mid-70s. Confidence: Medium Tomorrow (Monday): The start of the workweek features partly sunny skies, highs in the mid-80s to near 90, and very high humidity (dew points in the low to mid-70s). Scattered showers and a thunderstorm are possible late morning and afternoon even as Chantal dissipates. Confidence: Medium Tomorrow night: It's another partly cloudy, warm and muggy night. After the chance of an isolated evening shower or storm, partly cloudy skies rule, with overnight lows in the low to mid-70s. Confidence: Medium A look ahead With a stalled front and increasing tropical moisture, each day Tuesday through Thursday has potential for scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon into evening. Skies are partly sunny each day, with high humidity and highs in the upper 80s to mid-90s. Confidence: Medium As of now, daily shower and storm chances look to continue Friday into the weekend, with humid highs in the mid-80s to low 90s. Confidence: Low-Medium Today's daily digit — 7/10: Another good one for the pool, with plenty of sun and highs near 90. But rising humidity signals a muggy week ahead. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Sunday): Mostly sunny, with seasonable daytime highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. The humidity is on the rise thanks to a light wind from the south. Can't rule out an isolated afternoon shower or thunderstorm. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: A few evening showers and a thundershower are possible, especially south and southwest of D.C., if enough moisture from Tropical Storm Chantal makes it this far north. Otherwise partly cloudy and muggy with overnight lows in the low to mid-70s. Confidence: Medium Tomorrow (Monday): The start of the workweek features partly sunny skies, highs in the mid-80s to near 90, and very high humidity (dew points in the low to mid-70s). Scattered showers and a thunderstorm are possible late morning and afternoon even as Chantal dissipates. Confidence: Medium Tomorrow night: It's another partly cloudy, warm and muggy night. After the chance of an isolated evening shower or storm, partly cloudy skies rule, with overnight lows in the low to mid-70s. Confidence: Medium A look ahead With a stalled front and increasing tropical moisture, each day Tuesday through Thursday has potential for scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon into evening. Skies are partly sunny each day, with high humidity and highs in the upper 80s to mid-90s. Confidence: Medium As of now, daily shower and storm chances look to continue Friday into the weekend, with humid highs in the mid-80s to low 90s. Confidence: Low-Medium
