By Doug Schneider
The title of this post might be a little misleading, because I don't expect that there will be much, if any, racing today at Pocono Raceway. Unless the start time is move up well before noon, it looks like the race will be a washout, and moved to Monday. I put the chance of any racing today at 10%.
There's always a chance until the rain starts falling.
Showers and thunderstorms ahead of a cold front will be increasing through the morning across central Pennsylvania. These storms will track east, and should start to be in the vicinity of Pocono Raceway in the early afternoon hours. I expect to rain to start at the track between 1 and 3 pm. The race is scheduled to be run from 3 to 6 pm, which is exactly the time that I expect the heaviest rain to fall. Thunderstorms with heavy rain, gusty winds of 30 to 40 mph, and lightning will be a threat during this time. The Storm Prediction Center has the region in a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms, with a 5% chance of damaging wind gusts near 60 mph.
Showers and thunderstorms ahead of a cold front will be increasing through the morning across central Pennsylvania. These storms will track east, and should start to be in the vicinity of Pocono Raceway in the early afternoon hours. I expect to rain to start at the track between 1 and 3 pm. The race is scheduled to be run from 3 to 6 pm, which is exactly the time that I expect the heaviest rain to fall. Thunderstorms with heavy rain, gusty winds of 30 to 40 mph, and lightning will be a threat during this time. The Storm Prediction Center has the region in a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms, with a 5% chance of damaging wind gusts near 60 mph.
Rainfall amounts today at the track will likely be around a half inch. Up to one inch may be possible if several storms move directly over the track.
If the race is postponed to Monday, which looks likely, the weather will be nearly perfect. The cold front will have moved through the area, with drier and cooler air building in behind it. Monday will be mostly sunny with high temperatures around 70 degrees. It will be a bit breezy, with a northwest wind of 10 to 15 mph, gusting up to 25 mph. This will produce a tailwind on the front stretch, and a headwind between turns one and two.
We have our radar link at the top of the page set up to monitor conditions at Pocono Raceway, and I'll have updates this afternoon on my Twitter account, @Race4caster.
If the race is postponed to Monday, which looks likely, the weather will be nearly perfect. The cold front will have moved through the area, with drier and cooler air building in behind it. Monday will be mostly sunny with high temperatures around 70 degrees. It will be a bit breezy, with a northwest wind of 10 to 15 mph, gusting up to 25 mph. This will produce a tailwind on the front stretch, and a headwind between turns one and two.
We have our radar link at the top of the page set up to monitor conditions at Pocono Raceway, and I'll have updates this afternoon on my Twitter account, @Race4caster.
