By Doug Schneider
Believe it or not, there is silver lining in this very wet forecast. Yesterday I mentioned that rainfall amounts were expected to be in the 1 to 3 inch range during the race. It appears likely that amounts will be on the lower end of that range, around 1 inch to at most 2 inches, and 3 inches appears unlikely (but still possible).
Here's the situation this morning. There is a band of heavy rainfall oriented north to south across South Carolina, while the rain over Georgia is more sporadic and showery.
Here's the situation this morning. There is a band of heavy rainfall oriented north to south across South Carolina, while the rain over Georgia is more sporadic and showery.
That band of rain is expected to rotate to the west, and be aligned with the yellow line by around 8 pm tonight (Road Atlanta is the red dot). So most of the day will be like this morning, with on/off sporadic showers with a few heavier downpours now and then. There may even be some periods when the rain stops. But as we get into the afternoon, the rain should become more frequent and heavier. The worst conditions during the race will likely be at night.
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the area. Avoid low lying areas and nearby creeks, especially Cooper Creek on the east side of the track (from behind the secondary paddock to turn 6). If you're at the track and leaving Sunday morning, you may encounter flooded roads. Do not attempt to cross are road when water is flowing across it! It doesn't take much water to wash a car off the road and carry it downstream.
To clarify again, this rain is not directly associated with Hurricarn Joaquin, but Joaquin is helping to supply abundant tropical moisture into the southeast. Joaquin is still east of the Bahamas, and is expected to stay out to sea as it curves north. Here's a satellite image that shows the connection between Joaquin and the low pressure system over the southeast.
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the area. Avoid low lying areas and nearby creeks, especially Cooper Creek on the east side of the track (from behind the secondary paddock to turn 6). If you're at the track and leaving Sunday morning, you may encounter flooded roads. Do not attempt to cross are road when water is flowing across it! It doesn't take much water to wash a car off the road and carry it downstream.
To clarify again, this rain is not directly associated with Hurricarn Joaquin, but Joaquin is helping to supply abundant tropical moisture into the southeast. Joaquin is still east of the Bahamas, and is expected to stay out to sea as it curves north. Here's a satellite image that shows the connection between Joaquin and the low pressure system over the southeast.
I'll be live tweeting weather conditions at the race all day - @Race4caster. If you have a question about the weather, I'd be happy to answer on Twitter. Our live radar link is available at the top of the website.
