renew: Click here to see Sunday's weather forecast.
Update: 4:30 p.m.
Two rounds of storms are expected to bring severe weather to tomorrow's Indianapolis 500, but a dry window is expected in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.
The question is whether the pause in rain will be long enough to accommodate some or all of the games.
The first round of storms is expected to hit in the late morning or early afternoon and could bring damaging winds of 60 to 70 mph.
The timing could threaten early activity Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The green flag to start the race is scheduled for 12:45 p.m.
However, the latest predictions should give racing fans some hope.
“We think there's going to be at least a three-hour window in the mid to late afternoon where we won't have any thunderstorms,” said Andrew White, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis. Facebook Live update at 4 p.m. Saturday :30.
He said the “solids drying window” may open between 3pm and 6pm, but could start as early as 2pm and last as late as 8pm
Updated weather forecasts may allow enough time to complete the race, which usually takes around 3 hours. After 101 of 200 laps, this meant that 90 minutes of favorable weather was enough, along with at least 90 minutes of track drying time.
The second wave of storms is expected to be more severe, White said.
“The second round is really the main thing we're going to be looking at,” he said. “There could be more widespread, stronger damaging winds, there could be some large hail, and then there's the possibility of tornadoes.”
The tornado threat may continue south of the Indianapolis area.
“We are not anticipating severe tornadoes tomorrow,” White said. “Most of the tornadoes we see in this setup are going to be on the weaker end, in the damaging wind range. So thankfully, that's not going to be one of the bigger concerns tomorrow. But We do need to pay attention to it.
White also wants to remind people that lightning can be dangerous, even from a distance.
“Any time you see a flash of light, we want you to rush in,” he said, “or if you hear thunder, get inside.”
Update: 1:15 p.m.
The chance of rain, including severe storms, remains high during tomorrow's Indianapolis 500.
“We're really, really confident that we're going to have some storms throughout the day on Sunday,” said Jason Puma, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.
“The exact timing is a little questionable,” he said, “but right now we're pretty sure we're going to have some storms in the area between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.”
Storms can hit hard.
“The risk of severe weather will increase in the area tomorrow,” Puma said. “So that means some of these storms could bring damaging wind gusts up to 60 or even 70 mph. There's a chance of large hail, heavy rain, and we're Even an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.”
The timing of the game was not good. The green-flag race is scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m. This means that about 90 minutes of favorable weather is enough.
Puma said there could be a dry spell after the first round of storms, but probably not until after 3 or 4 p.m.
Accuweather increased its forecast chance of precipitation to 90%.
Earlier:
As anticipation builds for tomorrow's Indianapolis 500, so do questions about the weather. To prepare for the main event, IndyStar updates racing fans with the latest predictions.
The question is not whether it will rain tomorrow, but when it will rain and for how long.
“Rain is expected tomorrow,” said Jason Puma, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.
Gates open at 6 a.m. Sunday, with the green flag scheduled to begin the race at 12:45 p.m. Here are the predictions for the Indy 500 weekend through May 25, 2024:
What's the weather like at the Indy 500?
Puma said there was a 90% chance of rain throughout the day on Sunday. The National Weather Service predicts scattered showers before 11 a.m., followed by thunderstorms.
“This is most likely from about 11 a.m. to about 2 p.m.,” Puma said.
Everything about the Indy 500: IndyStar's comprehensive coverage of this year's race
There is still a chance of rain before and after that, he said. “We are still working to determine the timing and development of these storms as they move through the area.”
The National Weather Service said some severe thunderstorms are expected, along with damaging winds and large hail. Tornadoes are also possible.
Weather Alerts:Indianapolis tornado sirens will sound only during warnings
Temperatures are expected to reach as high as 81 degrees.
Accuweather forecast an 87% chance of rainfall and said horse racing spectators should be aware of severe thunderstorms in the afternoon, “presenting a significant risk of flash flooding, large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.”
Weather Underground predicts there will be a 70% chance of rain in the morning, with scattered thunderstorms, and the possibility of large, possibly severe, storms in the afternoon.
2024 Indy 500 WeatherShould you evacuate the stands? What to expect if the Indy 500 encounters bad weather
Will the Indy 500 be postponed or postponed?
Despite the grim weather outlook, IMS President Doug Boles said he was 99.9% confident there would be no announcement about delays or delays before Sunday.
According to the IMS website, the Indy 500 has been completely postponed due to rainy weather only three times since 1915.
The last time rain disrupted the race was in 2007, when drivers had to stop twice due to weather conditions and only completed 166 laps.
According to a 2019 IndyStar article, drivers must complete at least 101 laps to officially compete.
Any extension, whether in full or in part, will be made up the next day.
What's the weather forecast if there are delays on Memorial Day?
The weather outlook would be better if the game is postponed to Monday. Puma said there was a 30 percent chance of rain in the morning, but then it would be sunny and dry with a high near 75 degrees.
How was the weather on Legend Day?
The predictions for today's legend day are much better.
Puma said those heading to the track to get autographs can expect a mix of partly cloudy and no rain, with a high near 78 degrees.
Indy 500 weather history
IndyStar analyzed Weather Underground's 20 years of historical data as of May 26, this year's race day.
Average daily temperatures are in the high 60s, and only five of the last 20 days since 2004 have rained.
Previous race days have not always been on May 26, with temperatures varying widely from According to the National Weather Service, the high temperature was 92 degrees in 1937 and the low was 37 degrees in 1947.
The heaviest rainfall occurred on May 30, 2004, with nearly 4 inches of rainfall on game day.
Karl Schneider is IndyStar's environmental reporter. You can contact him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk
IndyStar's environmental reporting program is made possible with the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
