Severe Storms Threaten Northeast Before July Fourth

Severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and possible hail are forecast for July 3 across the Northeast, particularly from central New Jersey through New England and into eastern Canada, with the National Weather Service warning of potential tree and power line damage and resulting outages. Most storms are expected to develop Thursday afternoon and subside by evening, leading to clear skies and comfortable weather for Independence Day, marked by lower humidity and seasonable temperatures. In New Hampshire, a cold front will bring a 30% chance of gusty thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, followed by cooler, drier air for the weekend. The Intermountain West, including Idaho and Nevada, will experience scattered showers and thunderstorms, with a risk of localized flooding near burn scars, while New Mexico will see more storms Thursday before drier, hotter weather arrives for the Fourth, with rain chances returning later in the weekend. The risk of flash flooding is reduced across the Northeast due to lower humidity. Most regions will enjoy a brief break from storms and warm, sunny conditions through the holiday before showers and thunderstorms return early next week.