Rains Falls on Pocono

I'm not much of a NASCAR fan, but I am, of course, a fan of weather's interference with sporting events. So, I have to say it's sort of fun sitting on the couch this early afternoon watching rain pour on Pocono Raceway. Oh, and you know what was really fun: watching ESPN reporter Marty Smith standing out in the rain while giving a report. Some of the folks back in the studio asked if Marty really needed to be out in the rain. It does seem a little silly – like when Weather Channel reporters report from the street in hurricane winds – but those reports do give great insight of the conditions outside.


I'd love to sit here all day and provide weather reports from Pocono, but there's grass outside that's not going to cut itself. However, if you want to stay current on the weather conditions, I suggest you follow Brian Neudorff, the "unofficial NASCAR meteorologist" (@NASCAR_WXMAN) on Twitter. Brian, I think, is an actually meteorologist, whereas I… well, I just like rain.

UPDATE: Jet dryers are on the track, and ESPN just announced that driver intros will begin at 2 p.m, followed by more rain at 3 p.m. (I made up that "more rain at 3" part.)

Rain Washes Out Bristol Qualifying

I'm getting so lazy. Actually, I've been super busy lately. So, here's another copy and paste from an AP story. This one about NASCAR qualifying at Bristol Friday:

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Rain washed out qualifying Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway, giving Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon front-row spots when the field was set by last season's points.

As you know, Rainout Blog headquarters is not far from Bristol Motor Speedway, and I had planned to go to qualifying, but as Marcia Brady once said, "Something suddenly came up."

In other sports weather news...

Rain hit the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando Friday.

Fans suffered through a spring training rain delay Friday during a game between the Braves and Phillies in Clearwater, Fla. I love those Phillies ponchos.

Here's a cool pick from Rueters photographer Eddie Keoogh showing a race fan using a newspaper to shelter himself from rain on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meet in Gloucestershire, western England, on Tuesday.

We're Talkin' 'Bout Practice

NASCAR Cup Series practice is being delayed by rain at the California Speedway in Fontana. The Auto Club 500 practice is being televised on Speed. I wonder if Speed is showing reruns of The Andy Griffith Show during the rain delay.

This isn't sports related, but you have to see the photo that accompanies this story about a snow storm in the Northeast.

Happy Friday to ya!

Slick Racing

I know NASCAR is the most popular racing entity in the States, but you have to hand it to the Formula 1 guys when it comes to bravery in dealing with the natural elements.

Last Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix was no exception, as you can see in the photo above taken of British driver Lewis Hamilton, Aussie Mark Webber and Japanese racer Sakon Yamamoto during the race at the Fuji Speedway in Oyama, Japan. That's just west of Tokyo for those of you not up on your geography of Japan. (AP Photo/Chitose Suzuki)

Hamilton may not have been the safest driver on the track. According to news reports, the FIA is investigating his driving tactics during his win in Japan.

Meanwhile, the NASCAR fellas (left), on the same day, huddled under their umbrellas while waiting for rain to stop in Kansas City. What a bunch of pansies.


The baseball photo below is about a week old, but it may be my last chance this year to bring you a pic of a ballpark grounds crew. The photo shows members of the PNC Park crew clearing rain water following a sudden downpour during a Pirates game with the Arizona Diamondbacks.


You XM Radio subscribers out there who frequent or sometimes just scroll past the regional traffic/weather stations in the low 200s may have noticed a unique message on the Boston station Thursday. As you may know, the display screen for those channels offers weather messages such "Fair" or "Rainy" or "JAM ALERT" for, of course, traffic jams in that particular city. But on Thursday, the opening day of the Major League Baseball playoffs, and the first game between the Red Sox and Angels being played at Fenway Park, the Boston channel display read "Go Sox!"

Yankees, Rangers Complete Stormy Series

A severe storm washed out Wednesday night's game in Arlington, Texas between the Rangers and New York Yankees, forcing the two teams to play a doubleheader Thursday. Another storm swept through the area briefly during the second game, but this time halted the action for only 40 minutes. The AP photo above shows the grounds crew removing the tarp while a rainbow appears above the ballpark. The Yankees went on to win game two, thus sweeping the double dip and the series from the Rangers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Sprinkles: There still is a 50 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms for Saturday's 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby, according the Louisville, Ky., bureau of the National Weather Service. Friday, USA-Today quoted meteorologist Don Kirkpatrick of the NWS as saying, "Some of those (storms) in the afternoon could get into the strong level, as far as producing small hail and that sort of thing." However, the forecaster went on to say that those storms were not expected to hit Churchill Downs. By the way, Storm in May is a long shot at 30-1. Below you can watch Smarty Jones take the 2004 Derby crown in the Kentucky mud …Rain has suspended play at the Italian Open. Joakim Backstrom of Sweden was leading when the rains began. I don't Tiger is playing this event. He's getting wet in Charlotte, N.C. (above) …Forecasters say rain is likely in Richmond, Va., for Saturday night's NASCAR race there, so expect many delays.

(Tiger Woods photo -- AP Photo/Jason E. Miczek)

Weather Term of the Day:
SQUALL -- A sudden onset of strong winds with speeds increasing to at least 16 knots (18 miles per hour) and sustained at 22 or more knots (25 miles per hour) for at least one minute. The intensity and duration is longer than that of a gust. It is reported as "SQ"s in an observation and on the METAR.

Tornado Warning, Heavy Storms Cancel NASCAR Qualifying

Thousands of fans who gathered Friday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort-Worth to watch qualifying for Sunday’s Samsung 500 were advised to move to safety as tornado sirens blaster across the speedway. Qualifying for the NASCAR event was canceled as strong hailstorms moved through the area. The National Weather Service reported that a tornado had been spotted between Fort Worth and Dallas. The AP photo above shows Jeff Gordon driving through the rain-soaked garage area.