Fine Weather for the Fourth and Fireworks

The coast should be clear for watching fireworks, with clouds dissipating by this afternoon, forecasters say.

“There’s going to be some scattered clouds and broken clouds for a part of the day but not as widespread” as on Wednesday, said Rob Kaczmarek, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., which tracks weather for The Times. “It won’t be completely clear . . . but it should be pretty good conditions for viewing fireworks.”

Wednesday’s clouds were a result of upper-level high pressure that collected moisture from the ocean. That pressure is expected to ease considerably today, Kaczmarek said. The cloud layer should thin or dissipate by late afternoon, he said.

That’s good news regarding the dozens of activities planned around the county today, including parades, carnivals and fireworks shows, some of which are expected to continue through the weekend.

Patrick Quigley, a lifeguard in Laguna Beach where fireworks will begin at 8:40 p.m. on Main Beach, said that today “is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, holiday, and people will flock here. It can be great weather, it can be bad weather, and the area will be completely full. There’s a lot going on, and people want to be a part of it.”

Temperatures are expected to be slightly above average for the time of year, with highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s.