Cold front will spread showers and possible thunderstorms over Daytona International Speedway during the early afternoon and keep the threat of rain and showers into the evening. By 8 or 9 p.m. ET, the threat of showers will begin to decrease as the front moves through. These showers and storms this afternoon could play havoc on Nationwide qualifying, Sprint Cup practice, Camping World Truck qualifying and even the Truck race itself.
NASCAR 2014 Daytona 500 weather forecast: the threat continues
With showers arriving today and the front that brought them stalling this weekend. What are the chances we race Saturday and Sunday?
Will monitor the showers and storms as they develop and move across Florida today and see when they end later this evening. There is Air Titan so it is possible the Truck race could just get delayed and start later once they get the track dry, if they have to.
While I don’t think we are looking at a washout this weekend the threat of scattered showers and isolated storms remain in the weather forecast for both Saturday and Sunday afternoon. The cold front that arrives Friday afternoon and evening will stall across the Florida Peninsula Saturday into Sunday. The concern is that this stalled boundary will be the focus for some shower and storm activity across Florida over the weekend. This is an identical setup to what we saw last year.
Saturday’s forecast will feature clouds and some sunshine and the threat of scattered passing showers and isolated storms. The threat of rain is associated with a stall front that will be draped over the northern part of the Florida Peninsula close to Daytona International Speedway. While the threat of rain is there I think they can get the Nationwide race in on Saturday.
Front remains stalled across the northern part of Florida as we go into Sunday. There will be a disturbance moving right along the Gulf Coast into the Deep South passing along the Florida Panhandle and the Florida/Georgia line. While it looks like the stalled front will shift a little to the north of Daytona International Speedway, there is still a threat of scattered showers and Isolated storms.
DO WE RACE ON SUNDAY?
Yes, I think we get the Daytona 500 start and finished on Sunday. Last year we almost the exact same scenario with a stalled front and we got the race in rain free. I started the week saying I thought the odds of racing and finishing Sunday were around 68% and I continue to think that. It is still around 60 to 70% we get this race in and done on Sunday.
COULD WE SEE A RAIN DELAY SUNDAY?
Yes it is possible that rain could cause a delay or stoppage of action on the track but with the Air Titan and lights at Daytona International Speedway the race should get to completion.
This is a complicated forecast and it will constantly need to be monitored Friday and through the weekend. Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN and like me on Facebook for the latest weather updates through the rest of the week and into the Daytona 500 weekend.
Conditions in Daytona Beach, FL: Click here for Current Weather Conditions – Look at Doppler Radar | Mobile Friendly Site | Mobile Radar
FRIDAY:
11:30 a.m ET
Sprint Cup Series Practice – Mostly cloudy – temp: 79
1:10 p.m ET
Nationwide Series Qualifying – Mostly cloudy, chance of T-storm & showers – temp: 80
2:30 p.m ET
Sprint Cup Series Practice – Mostly cloudy, chance of T-storm & showers – temp: 82
4:10 p.m ET
Truck Series Qualifying – Mostly cloudy, chance of T-storm & showers – temp: 80
7:30 p.m ET
Truck Series Race – Mostly cloudy, chance of T-storm & showers – temp: 73
8:30 p.m ET
Truck Series Race – Mostly cloudy, chance of T-storm & showers – temp: 70
9:30 p.m ET
Truck Series Race – Mostly cloudy, chance of T-storm & showers – temp: 70
SATURDAY:
10:00 a.m ET
Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Mostly cloudy, chance of scattered showers/storms – temp: 70
12:45 p.m ET
Nationwide Series Qualifying – Mostly cloudy, chance of T-storm & showers – temp: 75
SUNDAY:
12:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 Pre-Race – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 77
1:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 78
2:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 79
3:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 79
4:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 78
5:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 77
6:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 75
7:00 p.m ET
Daytona 500 – Mostly cloudy, chance of sct’d t-storm & showers – temp: 73
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