Rain, storms expected to leave NYC in time for fireworks

While New York City was battered by thunderstorms and rain Tuesday afternoon, forecasters expected the skies to clear in time for fireworks at night.

“Shower and [thunderstorm] activity is expected to slide south and east of the region between 5 and 8 p.m. from [northwest to southeast], with drying conditions for this evening,” the National Weather Service said in an 11 a.m. forecast.

Meteorologists correctly predicted that New York and the surrounding region would face showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, tossing a wet blanket over afternoon Independence Day celebrations.

The rain was so intense that the NWS issued a flood watch for much of the tri-state area until 7 p.m.

But even as the rain was expected to continue pounding the city through the late afternoon, forecasters predicted a dry, if cloudy, night.

“Most of the thunderstorms from New York City to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will have pushed to the east by sunset,” AccuWeather wrote in its forecast. “However, light winds and lingering moisture in the air around fireworks time could lead to hazy and foggy conditions.”

Major fireworks displays in the city, including the Macy’s East River show and the Coney Island display, remained on schedule. However, the men’s division of the popular Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was delayed, and later canceled, due to lightning before Joey Chestnut could defend his title.

“The hot dog eating contest being in a lightning delay is outrageous and un-American,” one aggrieved fan wrote on Twitter.