New dire Fourth of July weather warning for NYC: Thats what will make this especially dangerous

A wave of thunderstorms and hail could hammer the Big Apple on the Fourth of July as a vicious five-day heat dome cooks revelers in nearly 100-degree swelter – making the holiday the hottest in nearly 20 years.Independence Day festivities Saturday afternoon and evening are in the crosshairs of the potential torrential rains, damaging winds and hail as temperatures are set to hit 95 degrees – the hottest July 4 since 2010, when the city baked under a blistering 96 degrees, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Matt Benz told The Post on Tuesday.Last year, Gotham rang in the Fourth under 83-degree heat.Benz said this holiday’s wet, humid nightmare is expected to begin sometime Friday night and keep it up through the weekend.“When these heat waves start to break down, they tend to unleash thunderstorms, but the timing – especially this far out – is difficult to pin down,” he said, adding that forecasters are currently monitoring related storm systems in Canada.“We’re still a ways out, but our forecast, at least for Saturday, we’re calling for a 40% chance of rain.”The potential downpours are set to arrive at the tail end of a brutal heat wave that will scorch New York City with 95-degree heat Wednesday and around 100 Thursday and Friday before easing into the low 90s on Sunday.Real-feel temperatures will hover between 105 and 110 degrees in the afternoons during the five-day stretch, as scorching conditions and humidity surge, according to AccuWeather.Temperatures will only drop to around 80 degrees overnight during the heat dome.“That’s what will make this especially dangerous,” Benz said.“We focus on the high temperatures, but it’s the overnights, especially if you don’t have AC, where it just becomes tight, like when we’re sleeping.”Benz urged people – especially Fourth of July crowds – to drink plenty of water when outdoors, watch the forecast, conserve energy and stay inside when possible. Large-scale events are taking place i...