Preakness weather forecast: Rain remains possible Saturday
The forecast for Saturday's 150th running of the Preakness Stakes took a slight turn for the worse Friday.
The National Weather Service predicts showers and thunderstorms starting Friday evening, likely through Saturday morning, and then a chance of more showers and thunderstorms through mid-afternoon Saturday. The timing and location of thundershowers moving through the area on Friday and Saturday will determine whether the Pimlico dirt and turf tracks have time to dry out before the stakes races later in the afternoon.
The latest multi-day forecast from the weather service shows a 60% chance of precipitation Friday, when the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and other stakes races are scheduled. Between a quarter and a half inch of new rainfall is possible during Friday, with a tenth to a quarter of an inch more overnight.
The Saturday forecast calls for showers likely until 8 a.m. EDT Saturday, with thunderstorms possible. A chance of showers and thunderstorms, possibly severe, persists through 2 p.m. EDT in Baltimore. After that, weather is expected to be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 89 degrees.
The area already has received plenty of precipitation this week, with Baltimore-Washington International Airport recording a record 2.28 inches of rain on Tuesday, followed by more than 1.5 inches on Wednesday.
Thursday was described as "drizzly" in the area, with only traces of rain reported by late afternoon. Even so, morning workouts were conducted over a sloppy, sealed racetrack, while afternoon racing occurred on a muddy dirt strip. All races were taken off the turf Thursday by Pimlico officials.
As of Friday morning, the main track was rated fast and the turf was rated good.