At the Firekracker Run, contestants in the one-mile kids run, one-mile predict and the two-mile run start at the same time. Youth in the one-mile kids run were encouraged to come to the front and stand behind the staring line. When the firecracker exploded to begin the race, they were off like a streak and soon out of everyone's way.
Blake and Heather Erickson race towards the finish line for the one mile predict Tuesday morning during the Firekracker Run.
Independence Day in Superior started in fine tradition. The sky was clear, the temperature was cool to start but promised to climb, perhaps into the upper 90s.
The 41st running of the Superior Jogger's Firekracker Run appeared to go off without a hitch.
The Superior PEO served breakfast in City Park.
Later in the morning a sand volleyball tournament was held in Lincoln Park.
Water Balloon Wars were staged by the Superior FFA on the T-Ball field.
It appeared to be the kind of day wheat harvesters liked but the highways were not filled with harvest trucks.
Considering the weather forecast for later in the day, it was the kind of day that in years past would have encouraged farmers to get their wheat harvested before the weather turned nasty.
However, wheat has largely fallen out of favor with local farmers and only a fraction of the acres once planted to wheat in this area were devoted to small grain this year.
And with this year's drought, many of the acres that were planted will not be harvested.
While area residents may not have been worrying about the wheat harvest, their was a nervous feel about town.
People in the parks scanned the sky and checked their cell phones for hints about what was coming.
At 1 p.m. the National Weather Service held a conference call with news media representatives to report on what was expected. It was learned The Express circulation area was in the prime area for high winds.
The weather service forecasters at Hastings, predicted a cold front was expected to cross the area Tuesday afternoon and evening. That front was expected to usher in a storm with straight line winds topping 80 miles per hour and hail to two inches in diameter.
The best chance for a storm was said to be between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m. A time that would interfer with many family gathering plans and the fireworks show planned for Tuesday night by the Superior Volunteer Fire Department.
Because of the weather forecast, the firemen postponed the fireworks show until dusk Wednesday evening at Brodstone Memorial Field.
The forecast caused many residents to nervously check on the weather throughout the day. Should they make new plans? Or would Tuesday's storm fizzle out like the one forecast for Saturday? At this writing, we don't know, but the answer should be clear by the time this paper is delivered. If all went as planned ,it was available on selected news stands Wednesday morning and delivered via the U.S. Mail on Thursday or later. But if the storm was as severe as some predictions indicated it could be, the printing may have been delayed. The weather service said straight line winds of the forecasted speed could cause more widespread damage than a tornado.
Because of the expected storms on July 4th, the City of Superior extended the hours in which fireworks may be sold and discharged until midnight, Wednesday, July 5.
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