4th of July 2013 weather: Rain expected in east and droughts in west

Bad weather is expected to put a dampener on 4th of July celebrations in the south and mid-west with rain and threats of heavy flooding on Thursday.

The unsettled conditions could upset favorite holiday activities including firework displays, barbecues and days at the beach.

In the north-east, coastal areas will be mainly dry on Thursday following scattered showers and thunderstorms in West Virginia, upstate New York, northern Vermont and New Hampshire today.

Parties in the south may take a hit according to the Weather Channel. Rain and thunderstorms have been forecast from the eastern Gulf Coast to Tennessee, Kentucky and the southeast.

There is a danger of heavy flooding in northern Georgia, northern Alabama, eastern Tennessee, eastern Kentucky, the far western Carolinas and the mountains over the next 48 hours.

It is also expected to be a washed-out Fourth for the Midwest from eastern Ohio to the Great Lakes.

However. there is better news for the Plains where Thursday will be dry with temperatures climbing to 90F.

There will be the odd thunderstorm on the Fourth from the Southwest to Northwest at higher altitudes.

Extreme heat and dry conditions are being forecast for Thursday in the southwest. Temperatures of 110F are expected from southern Nevada into the California and western Arizona deserts.

Although dry conditions are expected in the west, firework displays may be canceled because of droughts and fire bans.

However, most bans are only in place for private properties and towns will hold exhibitions.

It is expected to be the reverse on the east coast, where there will be scattered showers.

Meterologist Alex Sosnowski told Accuweather.com: “The pattern through Independence Day and the weekend beyond in some Eastern locations favors additional widely separated torrential downpours and conditions favoring fog in some locations.”

However he added: “A pocket of mostly rain-free weather will stretch from the coastal part of the Carolinas to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and perhaps Boston on Thursday evening.”

The Plains looks likely to be the best region for Fourth of July firework celebrations with low humidity and gentle breezes forecast.