Storms force evacuation of National Mall during July 4 celebration
Thousands on the National Mall were sent to shelter after hours in heat, then ordered out again as storms closed in on the July 4 anniversary celebration.
Thousands of people who spent hours in security lines in punishing heat on the National Mall were ordered to evacuate as severe storms moved toward Washington, forcing a chaotic interruption to the Freedom 250 celebration and the White House-backed Salute to America program. Some spectators refused to leave even as loudspeaker announcements and public safety officials urged everyone to seek shelter immediately.
The evacuation order came Saturday evening, July 4, 2026, as President Donald Trump was scheduled to speak at about 10 p.m. ET before a fireworks show. Freedom 250 said the safety of guests, performers and staff was its top priority. Officials directed attendees to nearby federal buildings, Smithsonian museums and underground Metro stations while the United States Secret Service temporarily closed security checkpoints, meaning anyone who returned would have to be screened again.
The disruption followed a day of extreme weather in Washington, where the National Weather Service had posted an extreme heat warning for the District from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET and recorded temperatures around 102 degrees at Reagan National Airport. A severe thunderstorm watch remained in effect into the evening. The National Independence Day Parade in Washington had already been canceled late Friday because of the heat.
The shutdown spread beyond Washington. Severe weather also interrupted Independence Day events in Hartford, Connecticut; Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Boston, crowds briefly sheltered before fireworks resumed, while other cities saw delays or cancellations as storms moved through the region.
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