Father's Day forecast: West to have best weather for outdoor activities

Where Mother's Day is a popular date on the calendar for enjoying a meal at a restaurant, Father's Day is big for close-to-home outdoor activities, ranging from a day at the ballpark or beach to a fishing excursion or simply firing up the grill and enjoying some family time. And of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with Dad just taking a snooze on the couch or hammock.
The best areas for sunshine with minimal risk of rain in the United States on Father's Day will be west of the Rockies. In contrast, humid air farther east will lead to areas of showers and thunderstorms, with some of the storms becoming severe, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
For those heading to the West Coast beaches this weekend, the waters are typically very chilly. Low clouds in the morning should burn off, allowing sunshine during the afternoon in most cases.
Farther inland over the West, sunshine will boost the air to very warm to hot levels with widespread highs in the 80s and 90s F. Desert areas can approach 100 degrees. Be sure to pack plenty of water to stay hydrated if taking a hike in the wilderness.
With the landscape drying out, caution is urged with open flames or equipment that can produce sparks to avoid the risk of igniting a wildfire.
•Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
Only very sparse thunderstorm activity is foreseen over the West's mountains, and most of those storms will tend to form on the eastern side of the Rockies, as opposed to the Intermountain region on Sunday.
The trouble from thunderstorms will ramp up east of the Rockies on Father's Day.
AccuWeather meteorologists expect a large zone where thunderstorms can become locally severe over the central and northern Plains to part of the Midwest.
Farther to the east, higher humidity levels and typical June warmth will tend to lead to a mosaic of showers and thunderstorms from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic Seaboard. For those who manage to enjoy their day without a downpour or two interrupting activities, luck may be on their side.
While not all of this zone will experience downpours, where it does rain, it may pour for an average of a couple of hours. This time of the year, the bulk of the shower and thunderstorm activity tends to occur from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time, with some exceptions. This means there is a better chance for dry weather for outdoor activities in the morning to midday hours, as opposed to the afternoon and evening.
The zones where it could shower and thunderstorm at any time for multiple hours will extend from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley, southern Appalachians and the lower part of the mid-Atlantic coast, with another pocket perhaps over the northern Plains.
Any thunderstorm is capable of producing a lightning strike in the local vicinity with no notice. Seeking shelter beneath trees can be a deadly mistake. Move indoors at the first rumble of thunder. Picnic pavilions, boats and golf carts do not offer adequate protection from lightning.
It is possible that an area of high pressure near Bermuda could exert enough influence to keep storms away from the southern Atlantic beaches from Florida to North Carolina most of the day. The Southeast in general will be very warm and humid on Sunday, where rain stays away.
A small pocket of high pressure may also have just enough cool, dry air to keep much of New England and parts of upstate New York and the central Great Lakes dry as well.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Chicago Tribune

6 hours ago

• Chicago Tribune

Despite the heat, Swedish Days in Geneva a cool destination for families: ‘It's such a community atmosphere'

Geneva resident Heidi Cristina likes coming to Swedish Days in the city, bringing her daughter Kendall, 8, on Saturday morning to the ongoing festival along with some of Kendall's friends. 'It's such a community atmosphere,' she said. 'There's something to do the whole day through from morning till night. We came down here last night and were here yesterday riding the rides. We love every part of it.' The event in downtown Geneva features a carnival, live music, shopping, food, a community parade on Sunday, kids' activities and more. The 75th annual Swedish Days festival opened on Wednesday. As the five-day event, which ends on Sunday, progressed muggy conditions arrived. But the current heat wave hasn't stopped thousands attending the fest, one of the largest annual events in Kane County that officials say draws around 200,000 people each year. Johanna Patterson, communications director for the Geneva Chamber of Commerce which organizes the event, said the weather is always a factor. 'We had a rainy Wednesday and that's OK … this is a five-day event and you have time to recover,' Patterson said as she stood outside the chamber's information booth on Third Street on Saturday. 'We've had much nicer days since and today it's hot but luckily the breeze is making it a little more bearable. 'It's yet to be seen how things will go with the heat,' she said. 'Sunday is always the biggest day because of the parade and people know it's their last chance.' Patterson noted the three-on-three basketball tournament at the event drew a lot of interest, something that first-time visitor Sam Rathbun of St. Charles enjoyed Saturday morning. 'This is my first time here. I didn't know this event was that big,' Rathbun said as he watched the basketball tournament. 'This is huge. … We're just walking around and getting our daughter out and watching some basketball. We'll probably have some lunch and hit the beer tent as well.' Ross Brady of Batavia came with his two daughters and said he has been to Swedish Days more than half a dozen times. 'I live in the area but we come back because of the food and the music in the afternoon,' he said. 'We usually come one day – often on Saturday or Friday nights. I like the bands and have come with friends and we hang out in the beer tent and listen to the music. I think this remains popular because it has that small-town, community feel.' Kim Perona came to Swedish Days for the first time on Saturday along with her mother Lynda Love, both from Naperville, and said they had lunch reservations in Geneva 'since my sister and I elected to take mom here for a Mother's Day gift.' Love said she has been to Swedish Days before and recalled the concerts and other events. 'People love to come back here year after year. It's a great place and food is great and the stores are awesome,' she said of Geneva.

USA Today

10 hours ago

• USA Today

Deadly severe weather outbreak heading east could cause 'ring of fire'

Forecasters warn the storm system is making its way eastward. Thunderstorms expected on the edges of a dome of hot air will have a "ring of fire" effect, according to AccuWeather. At least three people are dead in North Dakota after a round of severe weather that included multiple tornado reports, as forecasters warn the storm system is making its way eastward across parts of the Midwest and Northeast. The three people were killed on June 20 in rural Enderlin, North Dakota, in the southeastern part of the state, according the Cass County Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded to reports of tornado damage at a home there at about 11:40 p.m., and when they arrived, the fire department told them that storm chasers had located two of the victims. A third person was found dead at another location, the sheriff's office said. The severe storms swept through parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota on June 20, with high winds, hail and multiple reported tornadoes. The National Weather Service in Bismarck, North Dakota, said a wind gust of 101 mph was recorded at the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network station northwest of Linton. Tornadoes caused damage to homes and hail was measured at over 3.5 inches in diameter, preliminary reports to the Storm Prediction Center said. Wind gusts downed trees and power lines, the reports said. More than 75,000 people were without power across North Dakota and Minnesota the morning of June 21, according to USA TODAY's power outage tracker. Severe weather to move east over the weekend The same complex of storms that originated in North Dakota is expected to move eastward through the Great Lakes region during the day on June 21 and into New York and New England by night, the National Weather Service said. The storms could bring localized flash flooding, strong wind gusts and hail. The storms come as much of the nation is undergoing a "significant and extremely dangerous heat wave" into next week, according to the weather service. Groups of thunderstorms expected to form on the edges of the dome of hot air will have a "ring of fire" effect, according to AccuWeather. Thunderstorms tend to erupt on the edges of a heat dome because high pressure is weakest in these areas, the outlet reported. The storm system could evolve into a derecho, a damaging wind event that spans hundreds of miles, AccuWeather reported. A derecho is also known as an "inland hurricane." Heat bakes eastern half of US Meanwhile, more than 150 million Americans were under some kind of advisory or warning for dangerous heat across much of the eastern half of the country. HEAT WAVE: Summer 2025 brings killer heat. Here are some surprising ways to stay safe. Temperatures on June 21 are expected to meet or exceed 90 degrees in parts of over two dozen states, according to the weather service. Triple digits are expected in parts of Kansas, Nebraska and southwestern Minnesota. The heat wave is expected to last several days and extend eastward, with major cities along the East Coast including New York and Washington, D.C., expected to top 90 for five to seven consecutive days.

Yahoo

11 hours ago

• Yahoo

Heat wave hits US: See where it will be the hottest

Millions of Americans are under extreme heat warnings on Friday, June 20, as sweltering temperatures are expected to reach the triple digits in some areas. The National Weather Service (NWS) stated that heat could reach "dangerous levels" over much of the central and eastern United States, beginning on June 20 and continuing into the weekend. Temperatures are likely to be hottest between the weekend and early next week, but there will still be a risk for extreme heat in the Mid-Atlantic at the end of next week, the agency said. According to AccuWeather, up to 170 million people across the country are expected to experience temperatures at or above 90 degrees during the heat wave. Here is a look at which areas will be hit the hardest. According to NWS data, the central U.S. is expected to endure the hottest temperatures on Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21. On Friday, major heat-related impacts are expected in most of Nebraska, Kansas and parts of Colorado, South Dakota and Iowa. Pockets of surrounding states, such as Minnesota, Oklahoma and Louisiana, will also get the worst of the extreme heat. By Saturday, major heat will expand across the Midwest, and extreme heat impacts will begin in parts of Nebraska, where temperatures could reach triple digits. Extreme levels are defined as rare or long-duration heat with little to no overnight relief, according to the NWS. Extreme heat will continue moving east across the Midwest through the weekend, reaching Illinois, Indiana and Michigan by Sunday, June 22, according to the NWS. Much of the remaining eastern half of the U.S. will also be under moderate to major heat-related risks, with temperatures likely reaching the high 90s. By mid-next week, extreme heat will mostly linger across Ohio, Pennsylvania and the East Coast, per the NWS. States as far west as Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas will still have a moderate heat risk by Thursday, June 26. NWS has specific temperature forecasts for all the U.S. states available on its website. For those affected by the ongoing heat waves, Use sunscreen and reapply it regularly Wear loose-fitting, light colored and lightweight clothes, NWS recommends Don't leave kids or pets in the car, even for a short time Check the weather for information about UV index, heat warnings and the feels-like temperature Bring multiple bottles of water per person if spending extended time out in the sun Seek shade and air conditioning Keep in mind that some people are more vulnerable to heat than others, like children, those over 65 or pregnant, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Contributing: Joel Shannon, USA TODAY Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Which parts of US are in a heat wave? See hardest hit areas