comfortable start to the holiday weekend. right now philadelphia 81 degrees down from a high of 83 which is 4 degrees below normal. allentown 79. wilmington 77. on the beaches temperatures pretty uniform around 74 degrees. and we did have early sunshine but the clouds are beginning to roll in and the clouds will continue to thicken this evening. what this means is temperatures will be pretty slow to drop. 7 o'clock still 80 degrees, 8 o'clock 78, 9 o'clock 76 and by 10 o'clock, 74. so a pretty nice evening out on the town. the problem for tomorrow is that the low pressure that will ride along the stalled frontal boundary, that low pressure right now over northern kentucky and what this will do is interact with an upper level feature so that will allow some of that moisture to be drawn up to the north so it will be cloudy, it is will be cool with temperatures only in the 70's with occasional showers. so, future tracker really timing out the showers showing around 9 o'clock most of the activity will be west of philadelphia. but that shower activity will

traverse and move along the coast by 2 o'clock but the good news is for the fireworks, we will be drying things out. so, this is what to expect for the fourth of july. it will be cloudy and certainly very cool for july, temperatures only in the 70's. here in philadelphia and down the shore only in the 60's and the poconos, scattered showers and if those two lows can interacts just the right way or the wrong way, we can't have a period of steady rain midday but the evening drying out and sunday is looking really nice. it certainly will not be a washout of the weekend. i'll have all the details including the shore and the poconos coming up in the full accuweather forecast. jim. >> thank you cecily. "action news" reporter trish hartman is live on the boardwalk in ocean city for what i guess is the biggest shore holiday of the summer. trish, what's happening down the shore? >> reporter: well, jim for some people, it was a travel day. for many people, today was a beach day. the boardwalk here in ocean city is packed today as were many of the shore points that we visited today. now, as for tomorrow's

questionable weather both beachgoers and business owners say they cold front took advantage of today's sunshine. with storms in the forecast for the fourth of july sun seekers were out in full force as they kicked off their holiday weekend. >> perfect beach day hopefully here until dinner when the sun goes down and it's dark, that's my goal. >> reporter: ocean city was packed with sunbathers surfers and swimmers. granville beach was full of vacationers and summer campers fresh out of the water on their first beach trip of the year. >> we are enjoying the beautiful day so happy it's nice out it rained yesterday so we were a little hesitant but it's beautiful. >> reporter: cyclists pedaled around ventnor a welcome sight of the owner of 4a bike shop on ventnor avenue. >> we have been preparing for a week for this weekend. weather hurt us a little bit yesterday but hopefully today tomorrow, get through it and come out through the weekend with a high number. >> reporter: back in ocean city the owner of george's ice cream says since saturdays are always busy it's tough when

major holidays fall on a weekend. >> huge for us. it's become one of the biggest holidays of the year better than labor day and memorial day. so it's tough when it falls on a saturday. >> reporter: even if it rains on the fourth, westerman hopes people might venture out anyway to satisfy their sweet tooth. >> yesterday people were just starting to roll into town, so it wasn't a huge deal but we'll take 82 and sunny any day. >> reporter: now shop owners tell me that business on a holiday weekend like this one can actually double compared to business on a normal week so they are really hoping for some nice weather over the next couple of. we're live in ocean city, new jersey trish hartman channel6 "action news." jim. >> thank you trish. big crowds are kicking off the holiday weekend around philadelphia's independence hall. wawa welcome america liberty block party has live music on three stages tonight. you can also grab a bike from your choice of local -- bite from a choice of your local food trucks or stop for a

drink at the beer garden philly pops will close the party with a free concert. that show begins at 8 o'clock on the steps of independence hall. and tomorrow night the focus of attention will switch to the ben franklin parkway for the fourth of july jam. they're doing sound checks and lighting checks for the big concert making those final preparations tonight. live on the parkway is "action news" reporter john rawlins with a preview. john. >> reporter: hi, jim. well, i'll tell you the stage hands have been going all day long. there wasn't much here when they started this morning. now there is a full stage there is a full set of musical instruments up on those stages. it would look like with 24 hours to go we're in pretty good shape for a concert tomorrow. >> ♪♪ >> reporter: late today workers were testing the amplifiers for tomorrow night's concert. they worked. this was recorded. tomorrow the actual performers will be doing their sound checks before the evening concert. behind the art museum technicians spent the day care

fully loading and wiring the fireworks that will produce oohs and ahs after the concert. expect. >> brilliant spectacular colors choreographed to music. >> reporter: it's predicted 700,000 visitors will be in the city tomorrow. among them this double from buffalo. >> we came on this weekend because we thought it would be really neat to be in the hub of where everything started to celebrate the fourth. >> reporter: with so many people here and reported concerns fashion hally nationally of a lone wolf terror attack philadelphia police encouraging people not to bring coolers or large back packs as they would be subject to search. >> if it looks like something you could put a pressure cooker in, that you would not necessarily need to have on the fourth of july you will be subject to search so anything that's bigger than a bread basket as we used to say will alert us that we need to actually do some kind of interdiction. >> reporter: well, the pressure cooker reference of course to the device that was

used in the boston marathon bombings in 2013. the message to the public here don't bring coolers don't bring large bags, don't bring back packs down. otherwise if you do, you may be the subject of a police search. that is something that the officials here wanted to make very clear today. live along the parkway, john rawlins, channel6 "action news." jim. >> good advice john. thank you. you may have noticed the new metal signs along the parkway this week. they break the road into sections and will guide first responders during potential emergencies tomorrow. anybody who dials 911 will be asked for the letter and number from the nearest marker. >> it's for lost children, it's for people who might need medical assistance. it could even be used outside of public safety if you're just looking to, you know, connect with your family members or some friends. feel free to take advantage of our grid s it's here the make the event as enjoyable and safe as possible. >> the signs will be a permanent installation for any big event on the parkway including the pope's visit in

september. but they can be expanded or condensed depending on the size of the crowd. right now they're postered from the concert stage to 20th street for the fourth of july jam. 6abc is a proud broadcast partner of the welcome america -- the wawa welcome america celebration. tamala edwards and matt o'donnell kick off our live coverage tomorrow from 10:00 a.m. until noon with the celebration of freedom ceremony and the independence day parade. then we ask you to join us for the philly fourth of july jam on the parkway come tomorrow night. rick williams and cecily tynan will host along with karen rogers and adam joe's seven. the concert begins at 7:00 followed by the fireworks display over the philadelphia museum of art. 6abc.com is your holiday weekend resource center. you will find storm tracker six radar the hourly forecasts from accuweather the latest traffic conditions and traffic cameras on area

roadways and a full list of fireworks displays for the tri-state area. it is all right there at 6abc.com. coming up on "action news tonight, new video of the man who held up a cell phone store and its employees at gunpoint. and america's birthplace was also home to another big moment in history. the first gay rights protest in the country. we will hear from one of the original pioneers on independence mall. and guess who had a smile on his face today? one joel embiid. we appreciate it. ducis rodgers has the story when "action news" continues tonight.

>> philadelphia police have named the two officers who shot a man in west oak lane back in may. this comes just a day after the department announced a new policy allowing the release of the names of officers involved in shootings. investigators say that on may 12th michael minor and robert hope shot and wounded rudolph kip who struck several police officers with his car. officers minor and hope opened fire as keitt fled striking him in the chest. keitt recovered from his injuries. the officers have been on administrative leave since the shooting. law men have identified a woman found dead in new jersey. a 911 call yesterday brought police to the 200 block of weymouth road in mullica township. officers found 56-year-old lois collier dead inside her home. atlantic county prosecutors have joined the investigation. they have yet to release any information. an early morning gun battle left two men dead in

the tioga-nicetown section of philadelphia. police found the 26-year-old and the 21-year-old victims on the 1900 block of bruner street. two other people survived the shootout. the 24-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man remain in the hospital tonight. so far there have been no arrests. philadelphia police are looking for this man who they say robbed a cricket wireless store in germantown on wednesday. you can see him walk into the store with a bag. investigators say he approached the employees and demanded that they fill that bag with cash. he then forced the employees into the bathroom. the thief got away with more than $5,000. it took a team effort to rescue a man who flipped over a kayak in the brandywine creek this morning in wilmington just after 7:00 a.m. a passerby noticed the man clinging to an overturned kayak near the market street bridge. firefighters arrived but they couldn't get to him. so they flagged down rowers from the wilmington rowing club to ask for their help.

the rowers were able to tow the man to a nearby dock and he was not hurt. this fourth of july marks the 50th anniversary of the first equality protest for gay rights. it happened right here in philadelphia and today some of the original pioneers toured a new exhibit dedicated to the movement at the national constitution center. "action news" reporter ali gorman has that story. >> reporter: 74-year-old john james says it's surreal to see a picture of himself 50 years ago at the first gay rights protest. it was on independence mall july 4th 1965. the movement spanning 50 years is the focus of speaking out for equality exhibit. many of the original gay rights pioneers and others came together to commemorate the anniversary. james tells me back then, he could have been fired if his

employer found out he was gay. but he wasn't nervous. it was a different time. >> that was before the internet, the mainstream media was not covering gay matters at that point. >> reporter: but evan wolf son founder of freedom to marry says without their early work lgbt rights may not have come so far. >> here are these people they stood up and spoke up before the silence had been broken. their courage and their vision is something we really do have to honor and celebrate. >> reporter: the exhibit also shows the movement up to last week's supreme court decision allowing same-sex couples nationwide to marry. with people posting comments applauding it and disagreeing with it. wolf son has been working on legalizing gay marriage since the 80's. >> i went back to my desk to read the decision and i found myself crying as i read. >> i never imagined that we would get to this point. >> reporter: the original pioneers will also be honored

by mayor michael nutter tomorrow and the exhibit at the national constitution center is open until january 3rd. admission here tomorrow for the fourth of july is free. ali gorman, channel6 "action news"."

>> we weren't looking at his foot. >> we need to look at his foot but the sixers aren't saying much about joel embiid's condition right now. the sixers will get to test drive their new car next week, jahlil okafor. league play will begin with an eye on showing some improvement during the regular season. as jeff skversky reports the sixers have big reasons to be optimistic. >> yeah. >> reporter: talk about a sight for sore eyes, joel embiid he may not be practicing right now because of the slowly healing right foot but the big guy did bright smile is encouraging at sixers mini camp. >> he's in good spirits. >> out here shooting around and stuff. he looks great. once he gets on the court it's going to be a little rough

because it's been awhile but i feel like he'll suggest. he has a nice touch around the rim. >> reporter: no official update on embiid's status but sixers center jahlil okafor envisions a very bright future playing side by side with embiid. >> what i've learned from previous teams is that helps you on the floor when you're playing together. >> reporter: playing with embiid is not the own thing on okafor's mind these days. he says just walking around center city over the last week he can feel the passion from the fans. he can sense they are starving to hang another championship banner. >> the fans are hungry for a special season, a winning program, a winning season of a championship so it's exciting. coming here seeing all the names up there i would definitely love to be a part that of company. i have a long way to go. >> reporter: that journey starts monday in okafor's summer league debut in utah

jeff skversky channel6 "action news." >> jason thompson, the mount laurel new jersey native is coming home. the forward/center has averaged nine and a half points and seven rebounds per game. thompson levers one struggling team for another but he's optimistic about his future here. >> obviously they are in rebuilding mode and, you know, they're not looked upon as a top team but, you know, if you're a team that is on the rise the only way you can go is up. >> the phillies are on the road tonight in atlanta and they hope a rookie can snap their four game skid. adam morgan starts the first game of this 10 game road trip. he was impressive in a victory over the cardinals two weeks ago. he allowed one run in five and two-thirds innings. as team the phillies are coming off being swept by milwaukee. they have lost seven of their last eight games. the fan who caught alex rodriguez's 3,000th hit is no longer playing hardball. he has been offered a king's ransom of memorial beale what for that ball. at a he gave the ball back.

yankees agreed to pay $150,000 to a charity of his choice on a-rod's behalf. some flyers news. the team signs forward collin mcdonald to a one year contract. he had been with the islanders. michael cellist tow filed for salary arbitration. seconds round of the greenbrier classic tiger woods all over the map. his tee shot on 17 a bit wet. tiger's result birdie, bogey birdie. he's had four under par. the leader is jonathan vegas at nine under par. the term jumping the shark has jump the shark so has the wave. third round at wimbledon serena williams facing heather watson. williams fights back to win. serena advances to the fourth round where she'll face her sister venus. those two will be meeting for the 26th time in their career. serena leads all time 14 to

11. >> the state of new jersey preserving more of the land where a pivotal revolutionary war battle took place. the christie administration expanded the princeton battlefield park by four and a half acres. the area now included in the park had a significant role in the tactics used by george washington in securing american independence. his victory there in 1777 helped change the course of the revolutionary war.

i'm whoopi goldberg and new york is my home. there's no place like it in the world and no better place to lean about the people who shaped who we are today. hear about the lives of slaves in colonial new york and about the fight to abolish slavery. pick a stop on the underground railroad and visit the home and grave of one of new york's most controversial citizens. a journey in new york is a journey through history. plan you next trip at iloveny.com/summer. there's something for everyone.

>> holiday weekend off to a pretty good start weather-wise weather-wise. what about tomorrow? >> yeah, tomorrow not looking that good. cloudy and cool with showers. but today really nice and sunday will be beautiful. so, all in all looking pretty nice. storm tracker6 live double scan showing we have dry conditions out there today. so, a lot of folks out and about taking advantage of the weather. the action cam taking a look

in franklin square where it's a great day to spend some quality time with the family. and have a picnic. and sky6 is taking a look live in atlantic city right now where there are a lot of people also enjoying the weather on the beach and on the boardwalk. yesterday was a washout down the shore. today a lot nicer. temperatures generally in the low to mid 70's. cape may 75 degrees. avalon 74. ocean city the same. margate and surf city 73 degrees with those winds off the ocean just a slight sea breeze and millville 76, wilmington 77, allentown 79, reading 78 and philadelphia 81 degrees. down from our high of 83 which is 4 degrees below normal but we climbed out of the 70's. problem tomorrow will be heading back into the 70's with clouds and showers developing. satellite6 along with action radar showing the clouds really have been thickening and moving up from the south and west and you can see the moisture not too far behind it already some showers beginning to move into washington d.c.

that low pressure will be skirting to the south buttner acting with an upper level low so that will help draw the moisture northward so future tracker showing by 10 o'clock, the clouds are thick and showers especially west of philadelphia, they'll move along the shore by early in the afternoon but the good news is we're not talking about heavy rain lasting all day. by the evening hours we dry things out. should be rain free for the fireworks. the problem if we get enough rain the moisture in the ground could cause some patchy fog. otherwise, partly cloudy for the fireworks forecast down on the parkway at 7 o'clock 73. by 11 o'clock, 68 degrees. so, a little bit on the cool side. if you're heading to the poconos you want to take a sweater tomorrow, the high only 65 degrees with occasional showers especially the first half of the day. sunday though, the sunshine is back and it warms up to 77. heading to the beach, a moderate risk of rip currents continues tomorrow and it's not going to be a great beach

day. we're looking at cloudy cool conditions with showers 74 degrees. sunday definitely a lot nicer with plenty of sunshine and a high of 78. so, the exclusive accuweather 7-day forecast, tomorrow lots of clouds. it will be cool with occasional showers. most of it the early half of the day and it's not going to be a washout like last saturday when we had more than an inch and a half of rain in philadelphia, up to 4-inches in other places. we're looking at probably a half inch of rain tomorrow. 75 degrees. we clear things outer saturday night and sunday the sunshine is back, mostly sunny and warm with a high of 85 degrees. little bit on the muggy side. on wednesday we warm up even a little bit more. 86 degrees. increasing clouds late in the day. can't rule out the possibility of a pop-up shower or thunderstorm on monday. i don't think it will be widespread. on tuesday it gets more humid with some showers and thunderstorms late in the day a high of 89 degrees. and on wednesday the heat is on. we spike up with a high of 90

before a cold front brings us around of showers and thunderstorms and then behind that system we do begin to cool off on thursday partly sunny, 86. and friday seasonably warm with a high also of 86 degrees. so, again, not a washout but tomorrow's going to be cool and cloudy with some showers and i'll have an update on the timing on "action news" tonight at 11:00. >> i like that graphic. patriotic forecast. >> yeah, paul did it. >> nice job, paul. >> he's the man. >> there he is. >> the master. >> behind the scenes. abc's world news tonight with david muir is next on channel six. "action news" continues at 10:00 on phl17 with brian taff adam joseph and ducis rodgers. please join us for "action news" at 11:00 here at channel six. for cecily tynan, ducis rodgers, the entire "action news" team, i'm jim gardner. we hope you'll join us at 11:00.

tonight, america on alert. heavily-armed police deployed across u.s. cities. in times square, officers on guard. in washington, protecting historic monuments on horseback, on foot. in l.a., a call to be on alert for possible terror attacks. fourth of july fears heating up. severe holiday storms. the tornadoes. the deadly road collapse. and the flash flood rescues in the south. dangerous heat in the west. 30 million people at risk tonight. at a popular tourist attraction, the woman killed. the accused gunman -- a felon, wanted by immigration agents. and, "enjoy your ride, cuz we sure will." the sign found inside a baltimore police van tonight, threatening to re-ignite tensions there all over again.