By Doug Schneider
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Rain will likely be a factor in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, especially around the start of the race on Saturday.
The weather pattern over western Europe continues to show a low pressure system off the west coast of France, and this will change little over the weekend. This morning, rain showers are occurring along the west coast of France, and through the day, these showers will slowly advance toward the west. Showers are likely in Le Mans by the afternoon. Tonight, the showers are expected to taper off, then return by Saturday morning. Saturday looks like it will be a rather wet day, with periods of rain possible at any time. It does not appear to be a heavy rain, so I expect that the racing will be able to be held as scheduled. But it will make for a challenge for the teams and drivers, especially at the start. Rain amounts on Saturday are expected to be between a quarter and a half inch, or between 6 and 12 mm.
The chance of rain will decrease Saturday night, and I expect that most of Sunday will be dry. However, there is a chance that some showers and thunderstorms will develop in the area during the afternoon. The chance of impacts on the race appear low at this time, but there is some disagreement among the models on where the showers will develop. Hopefully the race can end under good weather conditions, but we will have to keep an eye on the radar.
The weather pattern over western Europe continues to show a low pressure system off the west coast of France, and this will change little over the weekend. This morning, rain showers are occurring along the west coast of France, and through the day, these showers will slowly advance toward the west. Showers are likely in Le Mans by the afternoon. Tonight, the showers are expected to taper off, then return by Saturday morning. Saturday looks like it will be a rather wet day, with periods of rain possible at any time. It does not appear to be a heavy rain, so I expect that the racing will be able to be held as scheduled. But it will make for a challenge for the teams and drivers, especially at the start. Rain amounts on Saturday are expected to be between a quarter and a half inch, or between 6 and 12 mm.
The chance of rain will decrease Saturday night, and I expect that most of Sunday will be dry. However, there is a chance that some showers and thunderstorms will develop in the area during the afternoon. The chance of impacts on the race appear low at this time, but there is some disagreement among the models on where the showers will develop. Hopefully the race can end under good weather conditions, but we will have to keep an eye on the radar.
