The Daytona 500 weather forecast for Sunday’s season-opening NASCAR race looked clear for most of the week, but unfortunately, that has changed.
Friday night’s Truck Series race was delayed multiple times due to rain, before officially being called after just 79 of the scheduled 100 laps due to wet conditions.
The Daytona 500 weather forecast, while still not a washout by any means, has also gotten a bit worse.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the updated NASCAR weather forecast for the Daytona 500, including the chances that rain delays Sunday’s race.
Daytona 500 Weather Forecast
According to the National Weather Service, Sunday’s Daytona 500 weather forecast is calling for partly sunny conditions and highs near 77 degrees with just a 20% chance of rain.
However, as we learned on Friday night, Florida rain showers can pop up at any time, even if the radar looks clear.
Meteorologist and NASCAR weather GOAT Brian Neudorff puts the odds of racing on Sunday at 80-90%, but the potential for one or two showers with enough rain to delay the race.
#NASCAR weekend weather @DAYTONA
SAT = ☀️ + 🌬️ mid/up 60s NNE gusts 20-25 mph
SUN = ⛅️ but chc of 🌧️ #OddsOfRacing = 80-90% (I’m leaning more towards 80)
Reason: previous setups bring at least 1 or 2 showers that hit the track w/ delays. #DAYTONA500 collab w/ @RaceWeather— Brian Neudorff (@NASCAR_WXMAN) February 18, 2023
The updated Daytona 500 weather forecast doesn’t look like a washout by any means, especially considering that the speedway has lights, but don’t be surprised to see a rain delay or two on Sunday afternoon.
For those wondering, the Daytona 500 will be official upon the completion of lap 100 in the event that rain is heavier than expected and NASCAR decides to call the race early.
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