Musikfest weather: Rain, storms possible as festival gets started

Rain and storms could put a damper on the opening weekend of Musikfest, which gets under way with “preview night” Thursday.

The National Weather Service is forecasting increasing chances of rain through Saturday, when widespread rain is most likely.

“The chance for the afternoon into the evening hours increases probably up to 80%,” said Ray Kruzdlo, meteorologist for the local weather service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

Musikfest, the yearly music festival held Bethlehem’s north and south sides, runs through Aug. 11.

Kruzdlo said there’s a 20% chance of isolated showers or thunderstorms Thursday, followed by a 60% chance Friday. The area is also under a heat advisory until Friday night. With humidity, it could feel close to 100 Thursday and Friday.

There could be thunderstorms and showers Saturday afternoon into the evening. Kruzdlo said Thursday that there is a 50% chance of rain for Sunday, but that could change given it is still a few days out.

He urged those going to the festival to be prepared to move if thunderstorms come in.

“Just need to be sensible and keep an eye to the sky,” he said.

Kruzdlo said it’s not likely that the festival this weekend will see the particularly heavy rain it has experienced in years past, such as 2011 or 2018 . The Lehigh Valley is under a marginal risk of severe weather through Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to cool down a little bit early next week.  Forecasters said highs could be in the mid-80s Tuesday and Wednesday.

“In general, we’re not seeing the heat like we’re seeing today and tomorrow, where we have heat indices of over 100 degrees,” Kruzdlo said.

Here is the extended forecast from the National Weather Service:

Friday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 101. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. High near 90. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Low around 71. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 90.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Tuesday Night: A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Here’s how Musikfest responds when storms like Monday’s hit