NWS: Rain Chances Increase Throughout Indiana...

INDIANAPOLIS–Meteorologists say there is both good news and bad news about today’s weather and how it could affect the Indianapolis 500.

Joe Nield with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis says the bad news is that scattered showers are increasing in coverage and will move into Indiana during the morning hours.

“And unfortunately, we’re going to see that ramp up continuing as we get into the early to mid-afternoon hours with our chances of rain chances here in the city (Indianapolis) peaking around 3 to 4 p.m. this afternoon. Not necessarily looking like just a solid slug of rain that’s going to be constant, but maybe just scattered enough to cause issues from time to time,” said Nield.

It also takes time for the workers to dry the track after rain arrives.

“So it’s going to be pretty touchy about how things are going to go today,” said Nield.

Nield says the good news is that severe weather is not likely.

“We could see an embedded rumble of thunder here or there, a few scattered thunderstorms, but we’re not expecting anything particularly intense. That said, any thunderstorm by definition contains lightning, so people are going to want to stay aware and be ready to find some safe shelter if possible if there is lightning in the area,” said Nield.

After that roughly 3 to 4 pm timeframe, Nield says completely dry weather doesn’t look possible until roughly 6 or 7 pm.

“So not out of the question that if maybe that happens in the early part of that window, that there may be enough time to do whatever needs to be done, but it’s going to be pretty touch and go today,” said Nield.

Nield also urges you to watch out for wind gusts that could reach roughly 30 to 40 mph at times. Then he looks at Memorial Day.

“Overnight should be dry. Tomorrow looks pretty darn good. We should be dry here in the city with highs around 80 for tomorrow. Our lows tonight in the upper 50s, so not terribly cool. So Memorial Day itself looks pretty darn good,” said Nield.