Forecasters predict rain on Trump's parade

The US National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for parts of the nation’s capital and the Maryland and Virginia suburbs hours before the Independence Day celebration on the National Mall is set to begin.

The watch is active until 8 p.m., which would stretch into the evening when President Donald Trump plans to speak from the Lincoln Memorial. Military flyovers also are on the schedule.

People march in the Independence Day parade in Washington, DC, on July 4, 2019. (SAUL LOEB / AFP)

The Weather Service says storms are expected to develop early afternoon and there may be torrential rains. It says there’s a chance of flash flooding.

Trump has promised his “Salute to America” will be the “show of a lifetime” for revelers who flock to the National Mall. Critics call Trump’s event a waste of money.

— AP