WASHINGTON — Thunderstorms, strong winds and even a hurricane pose a threat to Fourth of July celebrations on the East Coast.
Fireworks shows from Ocean City to Boston have been rescheduled to avoid the most severe weather threats.
On the National Mall, the approach for the Capital Fourth celebrations is “wait and see.”
Superintendent Robert Vogel ultimately makes the call on whether the show proceeds on schedule. The objective is to make the decision as close to 9:10 p.m. as possible.
“Nobody here at the Mall can remember any time that the fireworks were canceled,” says Carol Johnson, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service.
Some shows have been delayed in the past, she says.
The current forecast, however, doesn’t predict storms for Friday evening in D.C.
But thunderstorms Thursday could create different problems.
“Our big concern right now is how the weather will affect our setup,” Johnson says. “Some of the stuff we’ve already done could be blown down, and we’d have to start all over again the morning of the Fourth.”
The setup is nearly complete. The Park Service has put up 1,800 linear feet of fencing and 350 porta-potties.
The fireworks on the National Mall can been shot off even in rain, provided there isn’t a downpour, lightning or high winds.
The show lasts 17 minutes.
Get more Fourth of July information on WTOP’s live blog.
Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
