2013 NASCAR All-Star race day weather forecast: Threat of rain continues

Areas of showers and a few thunderstorms have been spreading across the state of North Carolina today and will continue into the afternoon and possibly the evening. Like the last two weeks where showers and storms have have threaten the NASCAR weekend, timing and pinpointing where some of these showers and storms may form is nearly impossible. When it comes to scattered showers and thunderstorms, it’s not the rain you see on radar but the rain you don’t see you have to be worried about.

Above image is a Hi-Resolution forecast model simulating what the radar could look like this afternoon and into the evening. This keeps rain showers across the Charlotte area and close to the track up until 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT with a break until about 10 p.m. EDT. This is a forecast model or a tool meteorologist use to get an idea of what the weather might do, but is not set in stone. What this tells me is we will have to keep an eye on the radar, prepare for some delays and hope for some of these showers and storms to miss the track so we can stay dry and get racing later tonight.

DO WE RACE TONIGHT? Odd of racing tonight is around forty to fifty percent. Looking at all the current data I am not feeling as confident as I was earlier in the week. It will all depend on how long these showers and storms last this afternoon and evening, if we can get a long enough break of rain free weather, and if there is a rain delay, can NASCAR get the track dried in time to go racing.

WILL THERE BE DELAYS? I think we have a seventy-five percent chance of there being some kind of weather related delay. I hope I am wrong but I am airing on the side of caution.

FORECAST FOR SUNDAY? If NASCAR can not get the All-Star race in tonight or to at least halfway (Lap 45 and beyond) Then they will try to run it on Sunday. The current forecast for Sunday is almost identical to the weather forecast today. Clouds, some sunshine with scattered areas of showers and storms.