Race Weekend Weather Updates From The Unofficial NASCAR Weatherman

The

FRIDAY:

1:30 p.m ET

Sprint Cup Practice – Mostly cloudy – temp: 68

3:30 p.m ET

Nationwide Final Practice – Mostly cloudy – temp: 75

5:30 p.m ET

Sprint Cup Final Practice– Mostly cloudy – temp: 76

SATURDAY:

12 p.m ET

Nationwide Qualifying – Clouds and sunshine – temp: 63

1:30 p.m ET

Sprint Cup Qualifying – Clouds and sunshine – temp: 67

3:30 p.m ET

Nationwide Race – Partly Sunny skies – temp: 72

SUNDAY:

3 p.m ET

Sprint Cup Race – Mostly cloudy, cooler, possible shower – temp: 67

There’s been a lot of talk on social media about a weekend storm that moves up the East Coast, bringing accumulating snow from Washington D.C. and Philadelphia into parts of New England. It’s hard to say how much snow will fall in these places, but if you are traveling to the race from any of these areas, you may want to get a head start to Martinsville.

The only weather concern for Martinsville Speedway this weekend is on Friday and possibly Saturday morning in the form of rain. The storm system will move out of Georgia on Friday night along a stalled boundary just off the coast of Virginia. This system will spread rain Friday night into Saturday morning with the possibility of some snow mixing with the rain in the mountains to the west and north.

Unsettled weather will continue across Florida this afternoon and Friday. Lots of moisture and warm temperatures equal instability which allows showers and storms to form. These showers and storms will produce soaking rain. These storms will be more scattered in nature and we will be dealing with hit or miss storms for Thursday afternoon and during the day Friday.

The weather feature that is producing these scattered showers and storms begins to move off to the northeast late Friday and Friday night. Saturday is expected to be drier with just a small chance of an isolated shower or storm in the afternoon but not to the extent that they have seen over the last few days.

SUNDAY:

12:00 p.m PDT (3:00 p.m EDT)

Sprint Cup Race – Mostly sunny - temp: 77

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

SUNDAY:

12:00 p.m PDT (3:00 p.m EDT)

Sprint Cup Race – Mostly sunny - temp: 78

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

It’s a tricky forecast thanks to now nearly stationary front across southern Michigan. This could provide an area for scattered to isolated showers and storms to form. I want to stress, like many times this scenario has presented itself, the showers and storms have been hit or miss. If you have plans to be in Michigan for the race this weekend. Bring some rain gear, just in case, but you may end up not ever having to use it.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Overall not a bad weekend in the Irish Hills of southern Michigan. The only cause for concern this weekend is a warm front that lifts out of Indiana Friday night into Saturday and stalls on Sunday. This stalled front will be a forcing mechanism for storms and showers Saturday and even on Sunday. The highest threat for showers or storms looks to be on Saturday. Just because the best probability of showers could form on Saturday doesn’t mean it will be a wash.

I have seen this scenario many times with the Michigan race weekend. The past few races have features showers and storms threaten with one passing over the track or a sprinkle or 2. Of course when dealing with hit or miss showers it just takes one ill timed storm to hit the track to ruin a great day of racing and activities.

1:45pm EDT UPDATE:

Looking at the radar there are a few isolated storm cells northwest and southwest of Pocono Raceway. Showers are moving slowly to the east. There could be more development around these storms but if we are seeing a window of 2 hours IF any more storms develop. You can check out a radar around the track here...

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION:

This is a tough forecast. It seems from one run of the models to the next we keep getting a different scenario and timing but generally I go back to my original forecast that there is a good threat of rain during the race. The front seems to have stalled Saturday so it looks like it will pass more afternoon/ evening on Sunday than previously thought.

As we continue to fine tune the forecast for this weekend at Pocono rain continues to be a threat but now the window looks more like Saturday into Sunday morning or midday. I still think timing of when the storms end isn’t cut in stone but most models agree rain is out by early afternoon if not sooner. This being said, if I had tickets for this Sunday’s race I’d still go, I’d just be prepared for a possible delay and make sure I have some rain gear... just in case.

So to answer some of the questions you may have: Is the race a wash and going to run on Monday? The likelihood is low, there easily could be delays if the rain doesn’t end in the morning and carries over into the early afternoon. Then that would be NASCAR decision on what they would do.

The weekend is not a wash but showers and storms threaten each day.

Friday is not all bad, with the best time for showers and storms in the evening. If I had to pick one day where the threat of showers and storms were the highest, it would be Saturday.

There is some unsettled weather expected across parts of the Midwest this weekend. Although there is a very small risk of an isolated storm in Kansas today most of the activity will be north and to the east. This also includes Chicagoland Speedway for tonight’s Nationwide Race. There is a slight risk for severe weather for Chicago where storms could produce large hail, damaging winds and an isolated tornado. If you are headed Chicagoland be prepared and keep an eye to the sky.

For Kansas, it is mainly going to be hot with temps into the 90s for highs both Saturday and Sunday. As mentioned above there is a chance of an isolated storm but I don’t see much that would or should cause any problems the rest of the weekend.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Since Thursday night, showers and storms have been rolling through the Charlotte area. This off and on activity of storms and showers will continue as we go into Friday night and into Saturday morning as a stalled front dies out over the region on Saturday. Although there is a chance of showers and storms on Saturday the risk is not very high and I wouldn’t be surprised to see if all the on track activities stay rain free. If a storm does pop up tomorrow don’t be totally surprised because it was mentioned in the forecast.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

The only real chance of rain comes Friday when there are no cars scheduled to be on the track. Outside of that it will be very warm, high temperatures in the mid to upper 80s going into the weekend and we looks dry with no rain on Sunday night for the Coke 600.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

As expected, the Nationwide Series race went on but with a few interruptions. Today, I’m not as optimistic that the same fate awaits the Sprint Cup race. This morning, radar looks fairly clear but a warm front is trying to lift north this morning and this afternoon. As the day wears on, I expect to see more showers and some storms begin to develop. If the storms and showers are slow to develop, the race could get started – then we are racing to halfway. I will be on the road as the race is taking place. If and when I have time, I will try and send tweets as updates.

SATURDAY:

Cloudy to mostly cloudy, scattered rain showers, Nationwide race could have some delays due to weather. High Temperature: 68

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Chance of showers and storms on Friday, but these storms look to be mostly scattered and pop up so there will likely be a lot of dry time. It is hard to say when and where the storms may pop up and form so if you are going to be out at the track tomorrow I’d be prepared for the chance of rain.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Chance of showers and storms on Friday, but these storms look to be mostly scattered and pop up so there will likely be a lot of dry time. It is hard to say when and where the storms may pop up and form so if you are going to be out at the track tomorrow I’d be prepared for the chance of rain.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Sunshine and a few clouds later today but overall perfect weather for the race weekend. It will be cooler than what we saw on Thursday but not big temperature changes are expected from Today to Saturday.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Storms are coming to an end, there could be just a few isolated storms around this evening but so far most of the activity has missed the track. Once this system passes temperatures will be cooler as highs are in the mid to low 70s. Lots of sunshine so enjoy the nice weather the rest of the weekend.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Another nice day expected, winds will be less highs a little warmer into the low to mid 70s.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

Cold front moved through overnight, and expect drier and less active weather the rest of the weekend. Sun and clouds on Saturday, cool with highs near 70. Sunday is very nice, lots of sunshine, a little warmer highs into the mid 70s.

Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN for the latest race weather updates and information. Also visit my main weather page.

TORNADO WARNING FOR TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY UNTIL 9PM CDT - MORE INFO HERE

Tornado watches are now in place for most of Alabama this afternoon and evening. Here is the detail from the National Weather Service:

My biggest concern this race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway is the threat and potential for severe storms Friday afternoon and night. Because most of the qualifying and practice for Nationwide and Sprint Cup on Friday are earlier, there is a fairly good chance that all or most of the on-track activity gets complete. There could be a few isolated-to-scattered storms forming late Friday morning into the early afternoon, but the bulk of the threat seems to be toward evening and into the nighttime hours.

A few single cell storms will form during the late morning and early afternoon across western and central Alabama followed by a line of strong storms associated with a passing cold front that will march across the state. These storms have a high potential for large hail and damaging winds. Gust associated with some of these storms could reach near 70 mph. Winds alone can do significant damage to those camping in the Talladega infield. Also these storms could produce tornadoes.