NORTH CAROLINA — America’s 250th Independence Day is bringing a scorching Fourth of July across North Carolina, with mostly sunny skies and highs soaring into the 90s and low 100s statewide. Some areas will see heat index values climbing as high as 110 degrees during peak afternoon hours. A couple of isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible mainly west of the state this afternoon and evening, but most residents should prepare for an intensely hot holiday.
Century Mark Heat Spreads Across the Central Piedmont
Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount are all forecast to reach the triple digits Saturday afternoon, with several spots including Kittrell and Clinton climbing to 103 to 105 degrees. Charlotte, Greensboro, Mebane and Sanford will also hit or exceed 100 degrees under mostly sunny skies.
Goldsboro, Kinston and Wilson round out the list of central and eastern communities expected to reach dangerous triple-digit heat.
Coastal and Mountain Communities See Slightly Lower Readings
Coastal areas including Corolla, Hatteras, Ocracoke and Emerald Isle will stay cooler, generally in the upper 80s to low 90s, offering some relief from inland heat. The higher mountains around Highlands, Cashiers and Banner Elk will also see comparatively mild highs in the upper 80s to low 90s.
Light winds out of the southwest at 5 to 10 mph will do little to ease the heat across the rest of the state.
Isolated Storms Possible Mainly in Western North Carolina
A couple of isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening, with the better chance for development across the western mountains near Murphy, Franklin and Robbinsville. Most of the state, however, will remain dry and dangerously hot through the holiday…