The opening round of the Masters Tournament faces the looming threat of thunderstorms and fierce winds that could disrupt the opening round at Augusta National.
Historically, adverse weather has plagued The Masters, with play suspended at least once in each of the past five editions due to rain. More than half of the 88 previous events have also encountered rain.
While the players enjoyed sunny conditions and gentle breezes during Wednesday’s practice round and the days prior, a dramatic shift in weather is predicted for the tournament’s opening.
The latest forecast paints a dire picture for Thursday morning, with a staggering ’90 per cent chance’ of showers and thunderstorms, accompanied by wind gusts reaching up to 45 miles per hour. These storms may return later in the day, following a brief respite in the afternoon.
According to tournament officials, a cold front will bring heavy rainfall and scattered thunderstorms between 6 AM and 1 PM (11 AM to 4 PM BST) on Thursday, with occasional wind gusts of 40-45 mph. After a temporary break in precipitation between 1-4 PM (BST), scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to reappear in the late afternoon and evening hours.
The onslaught of strong winds persists into Friday, with gusts anticipated to reach 30 mph. However, conditions will be less humid, and sunshine is forecasted to make a welcome return.
