Heat, storms and fire risk: Fourth of July weather is nothing to celebrate

Visitors and tourists to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., seek relief from the hot weather in the memorial's fountain on July 3. Due to extreme temperatures and high humidity, D.C. has declared a heat emergency, urging residents to take precautions outside and to stay hydrated. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Check the forecast before you set up for any cookouts this Fourth of July holiday. Dangerously hot weather threatens parts of the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest, while severe thunderstorms pose a risk in the Midwest.

The mid-Atlantic and Southeast can also expect storms — a continuation of the "unsettled weather" the region has seen lately, in the words of the National Weather Service. And while extreme heat has eased its grip on much of the Southeast, heat advisories continue in parts of North Carolina and Florida.