Precautions: The University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources suggests dumping out any standing bodies of water. Marla Augustine, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said people should remember to clean out their gutters.“Gutters are one place that people don't really think about,” she said.
Other tips:
Apply mosquito repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535
Wear a long-sleeved shirt, pants and socks while outside
Avoid going out at dawn and dusk
Nebraska hasn't seen any cases of the virus this year. The state has been testing bird carcasses for the virus, Augustine said.
— Roseann Moring
Record high, low: 110 degrees in 1936; 48 degrees in 1967. Normal high, low: 87 degrees; 67 degrees. Precipitation: Record, 1.39 inches in 1893; average, 0.13 inch
GRAND ISLAND
Record high, low: 109 degrees in 1936; 48 degrees in 1997. Normal high, low: 87 degrees; 63 degrees. Precipitation: Record, 2.56 inches in 1902; average, 0.11 inch
NORTH PLATTE
Record high, low: 106 degrees in 1936; 39 degrees in 1997. Normal high, low: 87 degrees; 59 degrees. Precipitation: Record, 1.71 inches, 1944; average, 0.11 inch.
Nature might provide Midlanders some fireworks this weekend, but the weather for this July Fourth holiday generally is expected to be pleasant.
“I suspect it's going to be a pretty nice one, with a mix of sun and clouds,” said Eric Wilhelm, meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc., The World-Herald's weather consultant. “There's a small chance of thunderstorms.”
Temperature and humidity levels through the weekend should be fairly comfortable, Wilhelm said.
Highs aren't expected to exceed the mid-80s, which is the range for normal this time of year, and moderate humidity and light winds are expected.
“It could be a little bit muggy, but nothing unusual for early July,” he said.
Clouds are in the forecast for Friday night, and there's a chance of storms. But Felix Grucci, vice president of Fireworks by Grucci, said he's optimistic that the thousands of people expected for The World-Herald's annual fireworks show won't be disappointed.
A slight breeze from the southeast is forecast for Friday night. That is the preferred direction for blowing smoke and fallout away from Rosenblatt Stadium, Grucci said.
And although this is a humid time of year, the metro area shouldn't see levels of humidity that pose significant aesthetic problems for a show. High humidity can lessen the crispness of a display and slow the firing, causing the display to be slightly off-sync from the music.
If storms do occur, the fireworks can be protected from the rain, he said, and once the storm passes, the show can go on.
Clouds lower than 600 feet would alter the aesthetics of the show because the rockets penetrate clouds at that level. In such a case, viewers would see clouds “turn to reds, to greens, to blues, to silver — another visual effect of its own,” he said. Typically, though, the clouds for the Rosenblatt shows have stayed higher, he said.
Becky Kern, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, said this weekend is one of those times when there's considerable uncertainty about storm activity.
Kern said two systems pose a storm risk for the Omaha metro area.
To the south, Kern said she has a high degree of confidence in forecasting storms for the Nebraska-Iowa-Missouri-Kansas corner. Anyone camping to the southeast of the metro area should pay attention to the weather. Those storms, however, probably won't creep into Omaha.
Kern said it's a system to the northwest that's bringing uncertainty. As it moves across the state, it could spin off storms, she said.
Given these two systems, the weather service is forecasting a 20 percent chance for storms today in the Omaha metro area, with a 30 percent chance for storms Friday and Saturday
“I wouldn't cancel my plans, but there's too good of a chance of storms not to mention them,” Kern said.
Kern said the cloud cover expected this weekend should help moderate temperatures, as should the slight breeze. What would be nice, she said, is a bit stiffer breeze than is forecast — to keep the mosquitoes away.
“They are just absolutely ridiculous,” she said.
Contact the writer:
444-1102, nancy.gaarder@owh.com
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