Storms in play at times on race day Sunday

Hard to beat the weather we had across Central Indiana Saturday. Perfect conditions with lower humidity for Legends Day at IMS and the 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis. As the extended holiday/Race Day weekend continues, all eyes are on the forecast for Sunday. If you’ve been following over the last several days, storms have been in the forecast Sunday and remain so as of this writing.

That being said, dry hours are possible with a break in the afternoon . Two rounds of storms are on tap and it’s entirely possible it could impact the Indy 500. The key here will be the timing of round #1 and the duration of the “window of opportunity/break” that’s in the cards following that round. Our latest thoughts are below…

Round #1

A developing line of storms will likely be in Illinois by daybreak Sunday. Storms will continue moving east arriving in the Hoosier State from west to east in the late morning. Depending on the speed and intensity of these storms, this line could bring race impacts. Temperatures will quickly drop as the rain approaches. Gusty winds are possible with this line. Reminder that the race is scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. EDT. See the Futurecast images below.

Window of Opportunity/Break

Once this initial line pushes East, dry hours are possible in the afternoon to early evening. Temperatures and humidity levels will quickly climb. Additionally, during this time, we’ll be watching to see if we break into any sunshine. This would aid in destabilizing our atmosphere and setting the stage for round #2 storms Sunday night.

Round #2

The Storm Prediction Center has placed Central Indiana in an Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5) for severe weather. All modes of severe weather are possible but damaging winds look to be the biggest threat . Anytime after 6-7 p.m. is the likely time when storms will begin to fire.

As of this writing, areas along and south of I-74 have a slight uptick for severe potential Sunday evening. We will see how the day evolves but staying weather-aware is key, especially during the busy Race Day weekend. After that, expect a few showers early on Memorial Day before an extended dry and slightly cooler stretch into next week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 59.