"Heat Dome" to bring widespread 90-degree weather for Independence Day

The America250 celebration will be remembered for extreme heat along most of the eastern United States, as a heat dome forms ahead of the holiday weekend. Extreme heat is expected in central and eastern states, with some possibly seeing 100 degree temperatures.

"A heat dome is a sprawling area of high pressure that creates hot and humid conditions for days or weeks at a time," explained AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Pydynowski. "Heat domes can prevent clouds from forming, resulting in abundant sunshine that boosts temperatures, potentially toward record levels."

The heat dome is expected to set up early next week, spanning from Texas to Pennsylvania, Florida to Minnesota.

AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures are forecast to hit or exceed 100 degrees each afternoon, with elevated overnight lows heightening heat stress.

"With heat and humidity nearby, any clusters of thunderstorms that develop can produce damaging winds, resulting in downed trees, power outages, and other damage," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter. "Intense thunderstorm clusters can even form into a derecho, a long-lived and significant windstorm. The risk of thunderstorm clusters with damaging winds may be highest next Tuesday or Wednesday."

For Bradenton, AccuWeather forecasts highs around 90 and lows in the low 80s this weekend through the holiday, with a chance of thunderstorms on July 3 and 4.