2018 Lollapalooza: Festivalgoers to endure summer heat and may need to dodge spotty storms

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

July 30, 2018, 2:49:33 PM EDT

While summertime heat will challenge Lollapalooza attendees to stay hydrated, spotty summer storms may pester the Chicago music festival activities on a couple of occasions from Thursday through Sunday.

Sunglasses, lightweight clothing and plenty of water will be the main requirements for rock music fans attending the 2018 festival.

Each day is projected to bring at least partial sunshine.

Highs are expected to be in the middle 80s F on Thursday, then the middle to upper 80s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Typical highs for early August in Grant Park along the Chicago Lakefront are in the lower to middle 80s.

Overall, temperatures are projected to be several degrees higher this year when compared to last year's Lollapalooza in Chicago.

Fans enjoyed comfortable temperatures on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017 during Lollapalooza at Grant Park in Chicago. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP)

The combination of temperature, humidity, sunshine and other factors will push AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures 5-10 degrees into the middle 90s during afternoon and early evening hours.

It is essential for festivalgoers, crews and musicians to stay hydrated. Even during moderate temperatures, standing outdoors for a number of hours can lead to dehydration and heat stress.

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Most of the music festival is likely to be free of rain, but there may be a couple of exceptions.

A large swath of showers and thunderstorms in the eastern part of the United States is expect to stay away from Chicago. However, ripple-effect airline delays are possible as the storms and downpours will impact the major hubs of Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Some locally brewed thunderstorms are possible in the Midwest.

In terms of thunderstorms, the greatest risk of gusty winds with downpours and lightning strikes will span Thursday afternoon to early Friday. This thunderstorm potential will come as cool air attempts to push southward along the lakefront.

A stray storm may approach later Sunday as another push of cool air gathers forward momentum over the northern Plains.

AccuWeather will continue to provide updates on the thunderstorm potential in the Chicago through this weekend.

Download the free AccuWeather app to stay aware of the AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature as well as the risk for any thunderstorms.

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