4th of July forecast: Summer heat, severe storms and fire danger
Heat alerts have been posted from Texas to Illinois for the next few days.
This 4th of July is bringing the summer heat, possible severe storms and dangerous fire conditions to the U.S.
Summer heat
Heat alerts have been posted from Texas to Illinois for the next few days as a summer scorcher slams the Plains and the South.
Cities feeling the burn include Shreveport, Louisiana; Little Rock; Des Moines; and Kansas City, Missouri.
Severe storm threat
Two regions may see severe storms on Monday: one zone extends from central Montana into the Dakotas, while the other tracks from Minnesota into the Chicago area.
The storms may bring damaging winds, large hail and possibly an isolated tornado.
Flash flooding and lightning are also possible across the northern Plains and into the Midwest as those storms roll through.
Many of these same areas will be in the severe weather threat zone again on Tuesday as the threat expands east into the Ohio River Valley, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia.
Fire danger
Monday is another day of wildfire risk in the Southwest due to a combination of dry conditions and gusty winds. These conditions make it easier for new fires to ignite and make it harder for crews to battle existing blazes.
Red flag warnings are in effect for more than 5 million people across Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Residents are urged to be especially cautious with fireworks.
ABC News' Daniel Amarante contributed to this report.
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