By Scott Martin.
WEDNESDAY:
A center of high pressure will be over Central Alabama and combine that with a low out over the Atlantic just to the west of Daytona Beach, there will be some moisture-rich air flowing over the area. That low may just send a passing shower to make the teams bolt on the rain tires for a short time. On-track times for the cars will be from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm EST. At this point, we'll go with a mix of sun and clouds and a 30% chance of rain throughout the day. Temperatures look to start off around 44 degrees at 8:00 am and top out around 61 degrees by the end of the on-track activity. Winds will be breezy out of the north at 15-20 MPH with gusts up to 25 MPH possible at times.
THURSDAY:
Moisture-rich air will continue to be over the area and a cold front will begin to move into the southeastern US during the afternoon hours. Rain chances will be just a smidgen less throughout the day, topping out at just less than 30% during the morning and into the late afternoon hours. Those chances will drop during the evening and into the late-night hours. Skies will be mostly cloudy when there is no rain. Temperatures will start off around 56 degrees and top out around 68 degrees during the afternoon hours. By the end of the on-track activity, temperatures will be around 61 degrees. On-track times will be from 9:00 am to 9:35 pm EST.
FRIDAY:
The cold front will be working its way through Alabama during the day, but rain will be pushing out ahead of it. Unfortunately, it looks like some of that rain may make it into Daytona. The good news is that the latest model run has the rainfall potentially falling apart as the front moves closer to the area. We'll still go with a very slight chance of a passing shower early with a little higher chance (40%) of rain during the afternoon and evening hours. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy when there is no rain. Temperatures will start off around 62 degrees at 8:00 am and rising to around 72 degrees by the mid-afternoon. Temperatures will be around 65 degrees by the end of on-track activities. Practice and qualifying sessions will take place from 9:10 am to 11:40 am EST before the track is cleared and the grid is set for the Michelin Pilot Challenge race that is scheduled from 1:10 pm to 5:10 pm EST. The final race of the day is scheduled to take place from 6:45 pm to 7:15 pm EST.
A center of high pressure will be over Central Alabama and combine that with a low out over the Atlantic just to the west of Daytona Beach, there will be some moisture-rich air flowing over the area. That low may just send a passing shower to make the teams bolt on the rain tires for a short time. On-track times for the cars will be from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm EST. At this point, we'll go with a mix of sun and clouds and a 30% chance of rain throughout the day. Temperatures look to start off around 44 degrees at 8:00 am and top out around 61 degrees by the end of the on-track activity. Winds will be breezy out of the north at 15-20 MPH with gusts up to 25 MPH possible at times.
THURSDAY:
Moisture-rich air will continue to be over the area and a cold front will begin to move into the southeastern US during the afternoon hours. Rain chances will be just a smidgen less throughout the day, topping out at just less than 30% during the morning and into the late afternoon hours. Those chances will drop during the evening and into the late-night hours. Skies will be mostly cloudy when there is no rain. Temperatures will start off around 56 degrees and top out around 68 degrees during the afternoon hours. By the end of the on-track activity, temperatures will be around 61 degrees. On-track times will be from 9:00 am to 9:35 pm EST.
FRIDAY:
The cold front will be working its way through Alabama during the day, but rain will be pushing out ahead of it. Unfortunately, it looks like some of that rain may make it into Daytona. The good news is that the latest model run has the rainfall potentially falling apart as the front moves closer to the area. We'll still go with a very slight chance of a passing shower early with a little higher chance (40%) of rain during the afternoon and evening hours. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy when there is no rain. Temperatures will start off around 62 degrees at 8:00 am and rising to around 72 degrees by the mid-afternoon. Temperatures will be around 65 degrees by the end of on-track activities. Practice and qualifying sessions will take place from 9:10 am to 11:40 am EST before the track is cleared and the grid is set for the Michelin Pilot Challenge race that is scheduled from 1:10 pm to 5:10 pm EST. The final race of the day is scheduled to take place from 6:45 pm to 7:15 pm EST.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY:
The good news is that the rain chances will be leaving the area during the weekend, and actually could be out of the area before the start of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny with only a very slight chance of a stray shower or sprinkle lingering around after the passage of the cold front. Once we get into the mid-afternoon hours on Saturday, those rain chances will have diminished and the remainder of the race will be rain-free. Temperatures will start off around 61 degrees at 8:00 am and will warm up to around 69 degrees for the green flag at 1:35 pm EST. It will stay around that temperature or may rise a degree for the next couple of hours before starting to drop for the evening. By midnight, the temperature will be around 56 degrees and will continue to drop until bottoming out around 51 degrees at 7:00 am EST. Skies will continue to be partly to mostly sunny during the morning and into the afternoon with the temperature reaching around 64 degrees by the checkered flag at 1:35 pm EST on Sunday.
The good news is that the rain chances will be leaving the area during the weekend, and actually could be out of the area before the start of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny with only a very slight chance of a stray shower or sprinkle lingering around after the passage of the cold front. Once we get into the mid-afternoon hours on Saturday, those rain chances will have diminished and the remainder of the race will be rain-free. Temperatures will start off around 61 degrees at 8:00 am and will warm up to around 69 degrees for the green flag at 1:35 pm EST. It will stay around that temperature or may rise a degree for the next couple of hours before starting to drop for the evening. By midnight, the temperature will be around 56 degrees and will continue to drop until bottoming out around 51 degrees at 7:00 am EST. Skies will continue to be partly to mostly sunny during the morning and into the afternoon with the temperature reaching around 64 degrees by the checkered flag at 1:35 pm EST on Sunday.
