By Doug Schneider
The story of the weather for the Rolex 24 continues to be the very cold temperatures on Saturday and Sunday. This will not be typical Daytona Beach weather. If you're heading to the race, prepare for the cold temperatures. Dress warmly, with multiple layer, hats, and gloves.
The chance of rain on Thursday has been added with this update. In my last forecast, I mentioned some models showing some light rain spreading in from the Atlantic on Thursday, and now all the models are trending in that direction. The good news is that this rain will remain light, in the form of on/off showers or sprinkles, so the impact will be low. Only around a tenth of an inch of rain is expected on Thursday.
Friday looks pretty similar to Thursday as there will be a low pressure trough off the east coast of Florida, with a northeast flow of moisture over the central Florida coastline. Like Thursday, this rain should remain light and scattered, with only a tenth of an inch of rain expected. The morning hours will have the best chance of rain, although showers will continue to be possible in the afternoon, during the MPC race.
A cold front will sweep through the area Friday night, and temperatures will drop like a rock. Lows on Saturday morning will be in the mid 30s. It will be sunny through the day, but with a NW wind at 10 to 20 mph, gusting up to 30 mph, it will feel quite chilly. With temperatures in the 40s and the wind, it will feel more like the 30s.
On Sunday morning, low temperatures will drop to near freezing, and rise into the 50s by the end of the race under sunny skies.
The next planned update will be posted on Friday.
The chance of rain on Thursday has been added with this update. In my last forecast, I mentioned some models showing some light rain spreading in from the Atlantic on Thursday, and now all the models are trending in that direction. The good news is that this rain will remain light, in the form of on/off showers or sprinkles, so the impact will be low. Only around a tenth of an inch of rain is expected on Thursday.
Friday looks pretty similar to Thursday as there will be a low pressure trough off the east coast of Florida, with a northeast flow of moisture over the central Florida coastline. Like Thursday, this rain should remain light and scattered, with only a tenth of an inch of rain expected. The morning hours will have the best chance of rain, although showers will continue to be possible in the afternoon, during the MPC race.
A cold front will sweep through the area Friday night, and temperatures will drop like a rock. Lows on Saturday morning will be in the mid 30s. It will be sunny through the day, but with a NW wind at 10 to 20 mph, gusting up to 30 mph, it will feel quite chilly. With temperatures in the 40s and the wind, it will feel more like the 30s.
On Sunday morning, low temperatures will drop to near freezing, and rise into the 50s by the end of the race under sunny skies.
The next planned update will be posted on Friday.
