With the Fourth of July and the annual NASCAR Chicago Street Race making for a jam-packed few days ahead, Chicagoans can expect a hot — and potentially stormy — holiday weekend.

Rainfall July 2 was heavy, and rains will be similar the rest of the week, said Stephen Shiveley, an NWS meteorologist in Ruskin.

The Fourth of July holiday will feature plenty of clouds and periods of rain and storms. A washout is not expected, but coverage will be higher than typical for early July. The rain and storms could impact outdoor activities and fireworks displays,

Just ahead of the Independence Day long weekend, beaches across the country have closed and issued advisories due to excessive levels of harmful bacteria.

Health officials issue warnings as bacteria and stormwater runoff contaminate beaches nationwide, closing popular swimming locations before the July 4th holiday.

Heading into the holiday weekend, 19 swimming spots in Vermont are under advisories for high cyanobacteria levels. Here's the full list. The following beaches and other swimming spots in Vermont are currently under bacteria alerts: Beaches can only become safe for swimming when their bacteria levels are back within the safe range,