Hot to the Fourth

Rain chances are too small to mention today (under 10%). There will be plenty of heat along with just a few afternoon clouds:

We are not forecasting a lot of wind and combined with the sunshine we expect high ozone counts by afternoon:

When we turned the switch on to summer after a cool start to June that switch has stayed on. We had rain over the last two days in the Metroplex but the airport only received a trace. The last measurable rain was 16 days ago on the 13th (.14" of reported). Today will mark the 18th day in a row of above normal temperatures:

Most here in north Texas would agree that once you hit 95° it's considered a HOT day. We have quickly racked up 20 such days here leading up to now and expect nothing but days hotter than that going on to the 4th. When we compare summers of late you see how 2011, 2010 and 2008 logged more 95° than what is forecasted for this year. All three of those summers ended up on the list of top-ten highest summers on record by average temperature (1980 DFW logged the hottest summer on record by daytime highs).

When we look at daytime highs at DFW in the 30-day period leading up to July 4th we can see that this will likely be the hottest run-up to the 4th in five years (for 2016 I used the forecast numbers). Back in 2011 we had the hottest summer (by average temperature) on record:

The typical summer-time ridge of high pressure is building back in over Texas. That means "hot and dry" will be the weather story leading up to the 4th:

This is the GFS Model forecast run for the next seven days. It shows NO rain for a large swath of Texas including north Texas:

Here is your Fourth of July weekend forecast. We are forecasting the first 100° day of the year for the Fourth of July though it could easily happen on Saturday or Sunday leading up to that day. Sunday will mark exactly 300 days since the last 100° day recorded at DFW Airport (101° on Sept. 7th 2015):

If you are making your plans for the Fourth here is the forecast for that night. CBS11 is part of the Frisco Freedom Fest; there will be an excellent fireworks show following the FC Dallas game at Toyota Stadium. You'll be able to see the fireworks anywhere near the stadium.

In the extended it looks like a run of triple-digit highs is in store for us: