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DC's fireworks supershow this year could be a smoke-filled mess
Disrupted views are a common part of the DC fireworks show, even before it gets supersized like in 2026.
Promoted as a potential world record for the most fireworks in one show, and certainly the largest ever seen in the nation's capital for the Fourth of July, 850,000-plus shells are expected to be launched from locations on the National Mall, the Potomac River, and West Potomac Park.
Sound familiar? In 2019, President Trump and the National Park Service promised the biggest show DC has ever held. Once underway, it was promptly smoked out.
"Instead of a dazzling Technicolor display, many disappointed spectators only saw what looked like fog illuminated by dull spotlights," Capital Weather's Jason Samenow wrote at the time.
That event was considerably smaller than this one is billed. So was one in 2016 that had humid weather with low clouds, some lingering rain, and views that were promptly destroyed. PBS infamously cut to footage from past years to keep the show going while getting skewered on social media for doing so.
While those are a few of the more notable examples, it's not that uncommon for nighttime weather conditions to trap fireworks smoke. In fact, typical summertime conditions in DC are rather favorable for bad viewing and bad air quality during the Independence Day celebration.
https://www.capitalweather.com/dcs-fireworks-supershow-this-year-could-be-a-smoke-filled-mess/
Promoted as a potential world record for the most fireworks in one show, and certainly the largest ever seen in the nation's capital for the Fourth of July, 850,000-plus shells are expected to be launched from locations on the National Mall, the Potomac River, and West Potomac Park.
Sound familiar? In 2019, President Trump and the National Park Service promised the biggest show DC has ever held. Once underway, it was promptly smoked out.
"Instead of a dazzling Technicolor display, many disappointed spectators only saw what looked like fog illuminated by dull spotlights," Capital Weather's Jason Samenow wrote at the time.
That event was considerably smaller than this one is billed. So was one in 2016 that had humid weather with low clouds, some lingering rain, and views that were promptly destroyed. PBS infamously cut to footage from past years to keep the show going while getting skewered on social media for doing so.
While those are a few of the more notable examples, it's not that uncommon for nighttime weather conditions to trap fireworks smoke. In fact, typical summertime conditions in DC are rather favorable for bad viewing and bad air quality during the Independence Day celebration.
https://www.capitalweather.com/dcs-fireworks-supershow-this-year-could-be-a-smoke-filled-mess/