As you prepare for Fourth of July fireworks, cookouts, parades and other Independence Day activities in Knoxville, consider this your reminder to stay cool!
Temperatures will begin to rise to the low- and mid-90s on July 3, with July 4 being one of the hottest days of the week, according to the National Weather Service Morristown forecast.
“By the Fourth of July … we'll be expecting the heat index to kind of be approaching that 100-degree mark,” meteorologist Kyle Snowdin told Knox News.
The high for July 4 is 93 degrees, but the heat index, or the “feels like temperature,” will be in the upper 90s.
Temperatures in the 90s are expected to persist into next week, with the slightest drop on July 6, when the forecasted high is 89 degrees.
Could it rain on the Fourth of July in Knoxville?
Showers and thunderstorms could pop up in East Tennessee on July 4, but the chances are slim.
There is a 20% of rain that afternoon and a 30% chance Thursday night, according to a National Weather Service forecast. However, any showers that pop up should be brief, lasting about 20 to 30 minutes, Snowdin said.
“Oftentimes with these summer pop-up storms, we often see that kind of around 8 to 9 o’clock in the evening. They really start to kind of dwindle down and that coverage lowers. So, hopefully, most Fourth festivities should remain free from (storm) activity,” Snowdin explained.
There are higher chances for showers and thunderstorms at the start of the weekend, with a 60% chance on Friday and 40% on Saturday.
How to stay safe during hot summer days
“Warm temperatures can quickly become dangerous,” the National Weather Service in Morristown warns on its website. “Heat is one of the most deadly weather hazards – don’t underestimate it.”
Here are a few heat safety tips to remember:
- Drink plenty of water or nonalcoholic drinks, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool.
- Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Light colors reflect heat and sunlight and help your body maintain normal temperatures.
- Take breaks in air conditioning and in the shade.
- Don’t get too much sun. Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation much more difficult.
- Never leave people or pets alone in a closed car.
Is there a drought in Knoxville?
There is currently no drought risk in Knoxville or Knox County, according to the U.S. drought monitor. But some areas in East Tennessee have become “abnormally dry” over the past few weeks, including parts of Anderson, Loudon and Roane counties.
However, these conditions should not turn firecrackers, sparklers or other Fourth of July celebrations a major risk.
“We definitely have been on the drier side. Of course that is something to be mindful of, but we're not in a scenario where we really need to be super careful. We’re not that far into a drought, yet,” Snowdin said.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208.
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