The forecast for the Philly Cycling Classic’s return has light wind and little chance of rain
The odds strongly argue in favor of the 212 cyclists completing their miles — 120 for the men, 62 for the women — without encountering a drop of rain.
What has been the summer of floods, thunder, and smoke is fortuitously poised for a shower of good fortune upon the reconvened Philadelphia Cycling Classic this weekend.
“I would say it looks good Saturday and Sunday,” said Robert Oravec, a lead forecaster at the national Weather Prediction Center.
The odds strongly argue in favor of the 212 cyclists completing their miles — 120 for the men, 62 for the women — without encountering a drop of rain, a fitting way to end the classic’s 10-year hiatus.
What’s more, the winds should be light, forecasters say, on the order of 6 to 12 mph, from the north on Saturday, and southwest on Sunday.
» READ MORE: Your guide to the Philly Cycling Classic: Course, where to spectate, and more
The forecasts for Saturday and Sunday
For Saturday’s fan fest, which begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it should be sunny throughout, with temperatures in the low to mid-80s.
For race day, it will be a shade steamier than Saturday, but not heat-wave level, said Matt Benz, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc.
Conditions are likely to be more comfortable in the morning during the women’s 62-mile race, which starts at 8:30. Temperature readings should be in the 70s, with heat indexes well below 90.
The predicted heat index creeps past 90 during the men’s race, and expect some serious shirt-soaking during the scalings of the iconic Manayunk Wall and by the time the 120-mile course is completed.
Benz said there is a way-outside chance of a shower near the end of the race, but the National Weather Service is listing the probability at under 10%.
Given that on average Philly receives measurable rain once every three days, dry weekends are not the norm around here, especially this summer.
Since June 1, officially Philadelphia has experienced only two weekends without measurable rain.
The rain cups have been overflowing throughout the region, and Philadelphia’s totals for the last two months have been 133% of normal, according to the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center.
While both Chester County and all of New Jersey remained under state drought “warnings,” conditions have improved markedly in Philly and the seven neighboring counties, according to Thursday’s interagency U.S. Drought Monitor update.
Parts of the region this week were classified as “abnormally dry,” the lowest drought designation on the monitor’s scale.
But portions of Bucks and Montgomery Counties were labeled as completely drought-free.
Showers are possible during the workweek as temperatures approach 90 and humidity increases, forecaster say.
But fortunately for the cyclists, the rain gauges should be empty Saturday and Sunday.
