Smoky haze, hot weather and powerful storms brought dangerous and uncomfortable conditions to parts of the U.S. heading into a long July Fourth weekend that typically draws Americans to outdoor gatherings.

Video above: Extreme heat temperatures recorded in Texas

From heat waves in the South and West to unhealthy air quality in the Northeast, much of the U.S. was under the threat of extreme weather. In the Midwest, some residents Friday were recovering from a powerful storm that moved through Illinois and Indiana a day earlier packing winds that reached more than 70 miles per hour.

That storm damaged trees and buildings in the central parts of both states from the Mississippi River to the Indianapolis area. Crews worked to replace electrical lines entangled in downed trees ahead of more expected thunderstorms and temperatures climbing to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Utility companies reported that more than 250,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity.

Brian Alexander, 55, swept up debris from the front yard of his Springfield, Illinois, home. Tree limbs that fell on his car left several small dents.

“Very lucky on that,” Alexander said. “No power, but we’ll manage. We’re just waiting for the city to get us hooked up again and we’ll get everything cleaned up.”

Video below: Severe storms topple traffic lights and trees in Springfield, Illinois

The National Weather Service said the storm was a derecho, which is often described as an inland hurricane because of its line of strong winds stretching for hundreds of miles.

“We had damage all the way from northeast Kansas, all the way down into Kentucky and across Indiana,” said John Bumgardner, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Illinois.

In the South, a dangerous heat wave that has been blamed for the deaths of at least 14 people was expected to last into the weekend in some areas. Parts of Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi were under excessive heat warnings Friday as heat indexes rose above 110 degrees Fahrenheit in some places.

In Memphis, Tennessee, officials said relief efforts were focused on the thousands of people who still had no power after storms Sunday that knocked down trees and power lines. In Nashville, residents and tourists alike tried to keep comfortable as temperatures climbed toward the upper 90s.

Leo Bennett, an employee of the county sheriff and at a private traffic control company, said he prepares for long days outside by drinking several bottles of water and packing a cooler.

“One of my secrets is the pickle juice,” Bennett said. "I bring pickle juice to keep from cramping up or whatever the case might be.”

At a park just outside downtown, teenage baseball players participated in a tournament and used cold towels between innings to cope with the heat. Coach Jordan Sheffield said he planned to pick up a fan for the dugout.

“You can kind of see it on their face, really. The red face a lot. A lot more of them red faced,” said Sheffield. “A lot of hands on their knees, things like that. So I kind of keep an eye on that and just try to keep them as cool as possible."

The EPA warned Friday that parts of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut could experience “unhealthy” air conditions because of ongoing wildfires in Quebec and northern Ontario.

“The primary concern is high concentrations of fine particle air pollution that is unhealthy, especially for sensitive groups such as people with respiratory disease, the elderly, or people with compromised health,” the agency said.

Video below: Timelapse video shows smoke engulfing NYC over a 3-hour period

The Midwest storm helped clear that smoke from the region's air. The Environmental Protection Agency had listed many cities, including Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland, Ohio, as having “very unhealthy air” earlier in the week.

But the Midwest might only have a brief respite with another storm is poised to move through the region Sunday, meteorologist Bumgardner said.

“Behind that our winds will probably switch back to northerly, which theoretically could bring a little more smoke into the area,” Bumgardner said. “But that’s tough to predict more than a day or two out.”

Parts of the West were anticipating extremely hot, dry conditions forecast through the Fourth of July, raising concerns about the danger of fireworks shows and wildfires. Parts of California were under excessive-heat warnings and heat advisories that were expected to last through the weekend.

“Looking at our high temperature forecast, we can’t help but feel like we’ve fallen into a ring of fire,” the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office tweeted.

Airline travelers got some relief Friday, with none of the weather-induced restrictions imposed earlier this week on planes landing and taking off at major airports in the Northeast.

Still, by midday on the East Coast more than 2,000 flights had been delayed and more than 300 others canceled — more than 200 of those on United Airlines, according to FlightAware.

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Hall reported from Nashville. Associated Press writers John O'Connor in Springfield, Ill., John Antczak in Los Angeles, David Koenig in Dallas, Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee and Bruce Shipkowski in Trenton, N.J. contributed.

CINCINNATI — For anyone looking for a safe way to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend, camping certainly checks all the boxes.

“It’s fun. It’s family-friendly. You can absolutely social distance,” said Lebanon Cincinnati Northeast KOA owner Sarah Anglin. “It’s your own bed, your own linens.”

Anglin said it’s not just holiday weekends that have seen an uptick in business. Campers have been flocking to the outdoors since Ohio campgrounds were allowed to reopen in May.

“As soon as those orders were lifted, people were itching to get out and about,” she said. “They were getting those campers out of storage and camping immediately.”

The desire to get outside has driven up bookings for KOA, plus for other local sites like Winton Woods and campgrounds at Great Parks of Hamilton County. All are totally full this holiday weekend.

“There’s not a lot for people to do, and while people are working from home, they want to spend time outside and get out of their house and their neighborhoods," said Great Parks chief of guest experiences Rachel Messerschmitt. “So we have seen a very large increase.”

Although they're outdoors and naturally socially distanced, campgrounds can’t escape some COVID-19 restrictions and changes. The state of Ohio requires campgrounds to allow just one family per campsite, enforce social distancing, and use Plexiglas shields and masks when possible to help prevent the spread of germs.

The state also recommends cleaning shared spaces like bathhouses and restrooms often with EPA-approved cleaners. Campground stores where people buy essentials such as firewood and bug spray are also limiting the amount of customers inside the store at one time.

“We do have the hand sanitizer that we encourage everyone to use on the way in and the way out," Anglin said. “Obviously social distancing while you are shopping. Trying not to touch things that you’re not intending to buy.”

Messerschmitt said at Great Parks, bathhouses and restrooms are being cleaned a minimum of three times a day. Staff will clean even more frequently during the busy Fourth of July weekend.

People who don’t have a tent or camper but still want to get outside have the option to rent cabins at many state parks and campgrounds as well, provided they’re not already booked up.

“If you do choose to rent a cabin from us, we are taking every precaution to make sure it is clean and sanitized and ready for you and your family,” Anglin said.

She said some of the big gatherings that would normally take place at KOA have been scaled back because of safety concerns, but that hasn’t stopped her from connecting with the campers during Saturday happy hours and hopping on a golf cart to deliver treats to the guests.

“We’re not allowed to do the group activities like we normally would, so we’ve come up with some creative things that we can still do,” Anglin said.

See below for campground guidelines in the Tri-State:

CINCINNATI — People in Indiana and Kentucky can legally shoot off their own fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July, and people in Ohio might be able to join them soon.

Ohio Senate Bill 113 allows Ohioans to shoot off fireworks on select holidays, including the Fourth of July. The bill passed the Ohio House and Senate earlier this year. Now the bill sits on Gov. Mike DeWine's desk waiting for his signature.

Indiana started permitting people to shoot off fireworks legally in 2006, and firework-related injuries fell, or remained constant, in the years afterwards.

"When something is illegal, I as a fireworks expert, cannot educate you on how to use them safely," Daniel Peart, the director of government affairs for Phantom Fireworks, said. "I can't tell you how to do something illegal… It's the educational component that has a profound impact on fireworks-related injuries and more specifically the decrease."

If DeWine signs the bill now, the law wouldn't take effect until 2022.

CINCINNATI — The LaRosa's Balloon Glow at Coney Island is back Saturday for the holiday weekend after being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The event features more than a dozen hot air balloons lit up for the holiday festivities. There will also be live music and entertainment with a fireworks show put on by Rozzi's Fireworks over Lake Como.

Coney Island will also keep its pool open later than usual until 9:30 p.m. and the pool area open until 11 p.m. so people can watch the firework show poolside in a lounge chair.

BLUE ASH, Ohio — Red, White and Blue Ash returned for the Fourth of July after being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, but there were a few changes this year.

Families and visitors gathered in Summit Park for the first fireworks show since the pandemic began, happy to be back in crowds and with friends once more.

"It feels like, you know, we need to take these opportunities more seriously and really show more appreciation for the fact we can celebrate something like independence," said Sue Chae, from Mason.

For years, Chae said she'd heard Red White and Blue Ash was a fun party, but it wasn't until this year she ventured to the event for an opportunity to see friends from Dayton whom the pandemic had kept away.

"I think we've learned a lot in the last year and a half and I think celebrating independence has taken on a new meaning," she said.

The big changes Sunday night were centered mostly on food, though the event did not have a concert this year either. Summit Park was absent any food or drink vendors for the celebration, though event organizers encouraged people to bring their own food and drinks.

When the temperatures rose on Sunday, nearby ice cream shop Nanny Belle's celebrated the return of Red White and Blue Ash customers the shop had struggled without during the pandemic.

"We were fortunate we could keep our walk-up window and keep our distance and everything, but it really hurt when we were not able to do our event," said Jill Donnellan, co-owner of Nanny Belle's.

Another change involves the fireworks show put on by Arthur Rozzi Pyrotechnics. During the show, the display included 200 drones in the sky creating pictures and displays to accompany the spectacle.

"We’re really excited to bring an amazing fireworks show back to Blue Ash,” Rachel Murray, the communications coordinator with the city of Blue Ash, said. "I think everybody’s ready to get out of the house and do something fun. And this is the perfect opportunity to have the family out, and have a great time and see a great show.”

The event and parking were free at Summit Park, and the park is open all day Sunday. The fireworks show began at 10 p.m.

Although the box office has yet to fully recover from the pandemic, at least one studio has good reason to celebrate this Fourth of July weekend. Universal Pictures currently has the top three films at the domestic box office with “F9,” “The Boss Baby: Family Business” and “The Forever Purge,” according to studio estimates Sunday. It’s the first time that’s happened for Universal since 1989, when the studio had “Sea of Love,” “Parenthood” and “Uncle Buck” topping the charts, and the first time for any studio since 2005.

As expected, the “Fast & Furious” sequel “F9” maintained the top spot in its second weekend in North American theaters. The film added an estimated $24 million over the weekend and is projected to take in $32.7 million by the end of Monday, bringing its domestic total to $125.8 million. Worldwide, “F9” will likely surpass the $500 million mark on Monday.

In second place, the animated “Boss Baby” sequel surpassed expectations opening with $17.3 million for the weekend and $23.1 million including Monday. “The Boss Baby: Family Business” features Alex Baldwin voicing the worldly toddler. And in third place, the latest Blumhouse venture, “The Forever Purge,” is expected to gross $12.8 million in ticket sales through Sunday and $15.9 million over the four-day weekend.

Although the three films may share a studio name, they’re also all different genres with different audience bases: A PG-13 action pic, an R-rated horror and a PG-rated family film. Almost half of the audience for “The Boss Baby 2,” for example, was 12 and under, while 64% of the audience for “The Forever Purge” was in the coveted 18 to 34 range and also very ethnically diverse.

While it’s a bit unconventional for a major studio to open two big films on the same weekend, Universal’s head of domestic distribution Jim Orr said they simply saw an opportunity and have historically had great successes on the Fourth of July weekend.

“This weekend is just a great glimpse of what we do constantly. which is provide theatrical audiences with a diverse slate of quality films,” Orr said. “The results speak for themselves.”

The varied slate, he said, is something the studio takes great pride in.

“We have films for every single audience out there,” Orr added. “We have tremendous partners, with DreamWorks and Blumhouse, and we also have some of the biggest franchises in the industry with the Fast saga.”

Paramount’s “A Quiet Place Part II” landed in fourth with an estimated $4.2 million over the three-day weekend and a projected $5.6 million including Monday, bringing its total to $145.8 million in its sixth weekend. “The Hitman’s Wife's Bodyguard” took fifth with $3 million for the weekend.

“We are still in an unusual marketplace,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst. “But this is a solid weekend— “81% of theaters are open in North America and moviegoers had a smorgasbord of options. This feels like truly the first fully fledged summer weekend.”

The based-on-a-Twitter-thread film “Zola” also had a strong opening on 1,468 screens. The film about a road trip to Florida gone wrong has earned an estimated $2.4 million since Wednesday. According to studio A24, many of the New York and Los Angeles showings sold out this weekend.

"'Zola’ is disproving the notion that only blockbusters will bring people to the theaters," Dergarabedian said.

And despite also being available on Hulu, Questlove's “Black Woodstock” documentary “Summer of Soul” earned $650,000 from 752 theaters. Although a somewhat modest number, Searchlight said it's the best performing documentary of the year so far.

The successes are also notable for what they were up against outside of theaters. This was a weekend where there were quite a few at-home streaming options as well, with Amazon Prime Video’s Chris Pratt blockbuster “The Tomorrow War” among them.

The Universal films accounted for over 77% of the total projected grosses this weekend, which was the third-best of the pandemic (behind last weekend's “F9” opening and the first “Quiet Place 2” weekend), according to data from Comscore.

But the reign likely won't continue for long. Next weekend, Disney and Marvel's “Black Widow" hits theaters. And even “Black Widow” has a caveat, despite being the first Marvel movie in almost two years: It'll also be available to rent on Disney+.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “F9,” $24 million.

2. “The Boss Baby: Family Business,” $17.4 million.

3. “The Forever Purge,” $12.8 million.

4. “A Quiet Place Part II,” $4.2 million.

5. “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard,” $3 million.

6. “Cruella,” $2.6 million.

7. “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway,” $2.3 million.

8. “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” $1.3 million.

9. “In the Heights,” $1.3 million.

10. “Zola,” $1.2 million.

This Independence Day, many Americans are celebrating much more than the 13 colonies' split from Great Britain. This Fourth of July also marks something of a return to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic forced most plans to be canceled, or at least adjusted, a year ago.

While the pandemic is not over, the United States is in a better spot to celebrate compared to last July 4 now that more than half the country's adult population is fully vaccinated against the virus.

This year, the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday, so it's also being observed by the federal government and some businesses on Monday, July 5.

Here's what that means for where you can go this long weekend.

Grocery stores

Most major grocery stores and retailers are open Sunday and Monday.

One exception is Costco, which is closed July 4. Trader Joe's is open but closes at 5 p.m. Both chains will be open on Monday.

Your pharmacy may also be closed Sunday. Publix is one chain closing its pharmacies that day. So it's best to call ahead to be safe, especially since some hours may vary by location.

Banks

Banks are always closed on Sundays, so July 4 is no exception. But many, such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America, will treat Monday as a holiday, so your bank will likely be closed on that day too. If you need cash, ATMs are always an option.

The stock market also observes July 5 as a holiday, so investors will have to hold off trading one more day this weekend.

Postal Service

The same goes for the U.S. Postal Service. It's typically closed on Sundays, but will also observe July 5 as a holiday this year.

Other government-owned offices

That's generally the case for any government-owned facilities, such as the DMV and public libraries. So you'll have to save those trips for when they reopen Tuesday.

UPS & FedEx

If you're banking on UPS or FedEx to help you out when USPS can't, those might be able to help you out Monday.

UPS and FedEx locations are closed on July 4 and they won't be making deliveries, but offices are open the next day. Locations may have modified hours though. So, like most of these places, it's safest to call ahead.

We all deserve a few days of food, fun, community celebration and fireworks after the past year of social distancing, mask-wearing and other sacrifices made for the common good due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With that in mind, here are nine ways to celebrate the Fourth of July this weekend.

INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Memorial Park, 2003 Jackwoods Pkwy., Independence. Free. Who's up for fireworks, fun and festivities?! Bring your family and friends out for a day-long extravaganza in Independence. There will be a car show from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. followed by the Independence Day Parade starting at 3 p.m., a festival starting at 4 p.m. and live music at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Fireworks will fill the sky starting at 10 p.m. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE ASH: 10 p.m. Sunday. Summit Park, 4335 Glendale Milford Rd., Blue Ash. Free. The Arthur Rozzi Pyrotechnics fireworks and drone will fill the sky at this year's Red, White and Blue Ash. WARM 98.5 will simulcast the fireworks show with an amazing soundtrack featuring an Independence Day theme, familiar favorites and new hits. Friendly reminder: There will be no food trucks and vendors on site this year. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

TAPS, TASTES AND TUNES FESTIVAL: 5-11 p.m. Friday; noon-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday. National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting, 8070 Tylersville Rd., West Chester Township. Free. Join your neighbors for a fun-filled weekend of live music, great food, cold beverages and activities for the whole family including an extravagant 4th of July Fireworks show on Sunday night. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

JULY 4TH FIREWORKS: 6-10 p.m. Sunday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm Street, Over-the-Rhine. Free. Enjoy music from 2nd Wind Band from 6-9 p.m. and fireworks display at 9:20 p.m. Food vendors will include Quite Frankly and Chocolate Freaking Bacon. The Washington Park porch also will be open and serving beverages. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

FOURTH OF JULY PARADE AND FIREWORKS: 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Harrison Community Center, 300 George Street, Harrison. Free. Join the community of Harrison for a Fourth of July celebration for everyone. The Harrison Recreation Commission has planned an evening of fun including a parade, fireworks, live music and other entertainment. Food, drinks and adult beverages will be available for purchase. There will be free family activities including a cornhole tournament, face painting and more. www.harrisonohio.gov

FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT: 7-9 p.m. Saturday. Freedom Park, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Edgewood. Free. Derek Alan Band will be performing at Freedom Park on July 3rd for Edgewood's Fourth of July extravaganza. The concert starts at 7 p.m. at Madison Shelter. There will be food trucks available for purchase during the performance. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

LIGHT UP LIBERTY 2021: 8-10 p.m. Sunday. Princeton Pike Church of God, 6101 Princeton Glendale Road, Hamilton. Free. Light Up Liberty is a 4th of July, alcohol-free, community celebration that exists to build the community and provide an evening of family-friendly fun for all ages. Come out and enjoy local food. The night will end with a Spectacular Fireworks Show by Yokum Fireworks. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

RED, WHITE AND BOOM: 8 p.m. Sunday. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Avenue, Anderson Township. $15 adults; $5 active military and veterans. Come together and celebrate America's birthday from sea to shining sea. Join the Cincinnati Pops for a showcase of American favorites inspired by the beauty of this land and its peoples. This is America the Beautiful for all—with music to lift your spirit and set your heart aglow. Stick around for the post-concert fireworks. www.cincinnatisymphony.org

Fourth of July Celebration: 3-11 p.m. Sunday. Stricker's Grove, 11490 Hamilton Cleves Road, Fairfield. Stricker's Grove's Fourth of July event is understandably the amusement park's most popular of its open to the public days. Enjoy rides, food, friends and family and cap the day off with fireworks. Admission to the park is free. There are multiple ticketing options to ride rides as well. stayhappening.com

Airbnb says efforts to cut down on unauthorized parties in Cincinnati are working. The company banned all parties and events at Airbnb listings in August of last year.

Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the company is doubling down on those efforts. Changes include blocking guests who do not have a history of positive reviews from booking one-night reservations of entire homes.

Efforts to curb large gatherings during the pandemic led the company to restrict guests under age 25 from certain bookings last summer.

"In the past year, this technology has blocked or redirected potentially risky reservation attempts from more than 2,000 people in Cincinnati," Airbnb said in a news release.

In August, a handyman was shot in Cincinnati's Pendleton neighborhood as he tried to break up a large party at an Airbnb.

"Steven was someone who was really helpful for a lot of us and to see that happen to him was heartbreaking," said Eric Haberthier, president of the Greater Cincinnati AirBnB Owners Association. "The interesting thing about AirBnBs and illegal parties is that it's been a problem for the past 15 months or so, since COVID showed up, but it was really more of an issue at the beginning, the first four months or so."

Haberthier said the association made a list of best practices for Airbnb hosts, which included tips to prevent parties. Those tips include fostering good relationships with neighbors.

"You know when something's not quite right. If it's someone that's local that's planning on staying at your place and they want to have a lot of people, and they're making the reservation on short notice, chances are you should have a conversation first," he said. "We don't want to be seen as party pads in the city. It'd be a terrible reputation. It's not a sustainable way to build a small business. It's not the way we want our property to be treated."

Many people may be looking forward to the colorful sights and sounds of fireworks this Fourth of July after the COVID-19 pandemic forced some plans to change last year.

However, retailers are warning customers about a fireworks shortage that may impact those July 4 celebrations. Suppliers and retailers are worried about fireworks shortages across the country caused by pandemic-related delays.

"I got the rolling thunder assortment, I got a coupon in the mail, it's for my grandkids," said Bill Collins, a customer in Georgia.

Collins says he learned the hard way that you need to get a jumpstart on all fireworks purchases or your options may be dim.

"That's why I'm buying early, last year they ran out," said Collins.

A shortage of shipping containers in China is slowing down fireworks deliveries globally. There are also delays in the U.S. getting products both unloaded and put on trucks. These pandemic-related problems are creating issues with the supply-chain and retailers.

But with shelves currently packed with pyrotechnics, it may be hard to believe there's a major nationwide shortage.

"They don't have enough shipping containers to ship in," Oklahoma City-based Fireworks Warehouse general manager Tyler Herzog said.

Herzog said that 99% of fireworks come from China, and there are delays in shipping the products here.

"There's a backup out in Long Beach, and the container ships can't get in here quick enough," Herzog said.

He recommends shopping early to beat the rush and save money.

"Our shipping costs have gone up 300% to 400%," Herzog said. "The actual fireworks themselves are going up 30% to 50%, so you're going to see higher prices because of that."

Jason Lewis, a retired tattoo artist in Oklahoma, said he normally puts on shows up to an hour long in an annual backyard barbecue gathering of about 50 family and friends July 4. This year, he drove through three states and, spending a little less than last year, was only able to amass about half as much.

“At one stand in Texas, he had one 500-gram repeater I saw last year for $40. He wanted $115,” Lewis said. “I looked at him and said, ‘I’m done, I’ll go somewhere else.’ But little did I know it was the same everywhere.”

Normally, he puts together the whole show. This year, he said he will go "potluck," asking guests to bring any fireworks they see along the way — telling friends: "Don’t be shocked by [price] surprises. Get what you can."