Beaufort County may end up with a wet Independence Day, but don’t pack away those picnic baskets just yet.
Hal Austin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said rain was expected late in the day.
“Right now, it doesn’t look like a washout,” he said. “We just have a 40 percent chance of rain. I wouldn’t cancel any plans.”
If boating, Austin recommended carrying a NOAA weather radio and heading back to shore at the first sight of dark clouds approaching.
Beaufort County has a likely chance of rain now through July Fourth. Austin called it your typical summer weather in North Carolina.
“Storms just make it more humid. We’re looking at highs in the 80s,” he said.
With rain expected for both days of Belhaven’s Independence Day celebration, the city has already made backup plans, said Jimmie Southerland, a member of the planning committee.
The celebration includes “The Twilight Hour” on Pamlico Street, with artists and live music on the agenda.
“If it’s raining Wednesday night, we’re going to have to go to the fire station,” Southerland said.
Firefighters would clear out the trucks and the bands would set up inside.
Fireworks are scheduled for 9 p.m., but if the rain happens to come through at that inopportune time, the rain date will be Friday or Saturday.
Southerland did not anticipate bad weather would interfere with any of the celebration.
“Today was a 50 percent chance of rain all day long,” she said. “And we haven’t had anything in Belhaven.”