Isolated storm chances ahead of a hot and humid 4th of July

Several ridge-riding disturbances will tag along with the increasing heat, bringing isolated storm chances ahead of the 4th of July holiday.

Keyword being isolated, meaning areas like Dixon or Lena or even Beloit could see a shower or storm while the rest of the area remains rain free. Those that do wind up getting in on today and tomorrow's isolated storm threat, winds up to 60 mph and heavy downpours will be the primary concerns. 

Once this ridge is overhead, the favored storm track will be pushed to the north. This will leave us hot and fairly dry for Independence Day, though an isolated thunderstorm cannot be ruled out. 

High temperatures look to touch the 90° mark on Thursday, then surge into the low 90s for the 4th and for the start of the weekend. With dew points near the 70° mark, expect heat index values to wind up in the mid to upper 90s both days. That's why if you have any holiday festivities or if you are planning to attend the parade, have plenty of water on hand and find a nice shady spot. It's not until Sunday where we see our next cold front slide through, pushing highs back into the 80s for early next week.