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Spring is here and that means thunderstorm season. I love going to the beach, and I have watched many thunderstorms roll in from my hotel balcony. I have also seen a lot of people get caught outside during a storm, myself included. When I was in high school, me, my best friend, my mom, and her best friend went to Ocean City, MD for a mini vacation. Our hotel was a block from the boardwalk, but that was the end of the boardwalk... not the section where all the activities are. My mom decided one evening that we should just grab the tram and ride it to the other end instead of battling for a parking space. Now would be a good time to mention that the boardwalk is 2.5 miles long. Well, I was watching the weather radar, and I said maybe that wasn't a good idea because it might storm. Did anybody listen to me? No. So we rode the tram down to the happening end of the boardwalk, and we took a ride on the ferris wheel. While stopped at the top for loading, I had an awesome view of the entire city, and an even better view of the huge cumulonimbus clouds building to the west. (Told ya so moment.) The ride ended, and we did a little shopping, but the sky was getting increasingly darker. It was starting to thunder, so we went to see about getting the tram back to our end of the boardwalk. Guess what? The tram doesn't run when it's thundering and lightning! So we started the 2.5 mile walk back to our hotel. Well, while we were walking my hair (along with my friend) started to stand on end (like a science experiment.) People were pointing at us and asking what was wrong. Well, let me tell you: I am very lucky to be here today because we were electrically charged, and we could've been struck by lightning at any moment. I was stupid back then and didn't know what was going on, but later that school year I asked my physics teacher what it meant. Anyways, we did go inside to a store as it started to pour, and we finally made it back to our hotel safely later that evening.
This is the time of year for lots of outdoor sporting events and activities, and it's always important to know if thunderstorms are in the forecast before you plan on spending the day outdoors. Lightning causes over 80 fatalities and 300 injuries per year. It occurs in ALL thunderstorms, and lightning results from the buildup and discharge of electrical energy between positively and negatively charged areas. The air near a lightning strike is heated to 50,000 degrees F, which is hotter than the surface of the sun. The rapid heating and cooling of the air near the lightning channel causes a shock wave that results in thunder. If you see lightning or hear thunder, head indoors immediately! Do NOT take shelter under isolated trees, small sheds, or convertibles. You should seek shelter in a sturdy building or hard top car. If caught outside, find a low spot away from trees, fences, and poles. Stay away from tall objects such as telephone poles, towers, and power lines. Avoid using indoor appliances like your computer, TV, and landline phone. Stay away from windows. Remember the 30/30 Rule: go indoors, if, after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder. Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder. Keep an eye to the sky, and have a safe spring and summer!
Ok, time for a racing update. Helio Castroneves will make his 100th IRL start in Motegi, Japan this weekend. The IndyCar series will split for one last time as Champ Car races its final race in Long Beach, CA.
Here are the forecasts for this weeks races:
IndyCar Series - Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan on Saturday (4/19). The race will air live at Midnight ET on ESPN2, then again Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. To be honest, I've never tried to forecast the weather for another country, so this was fun! I had some difficulty finding data, but I finally came across the Japan Meteorological Agency. Here is a link to their latest radar image: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/radnowc/ Qualifying could be damp and chilly, so it will be interesting to see if they can actually get quals in. *Edit: Qualifying was indeed rained out, and Helio Castroneves will start from the pole based on points.* For the race on Saturday, there is a chance of showers under cloudy skies. Temperatures will be chilly around 54 degrees. *Edit (4/19) - The IndyCar race was postponed due to weepers on the track. (Water continued seeping through cracks on the track, thus creating very dangerous conditions for the drivers.) It will now be live at 10 p.m. ET Saturday night on ESPN Classic. It will be reaired Sunday at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2.
American Le Mans Series - Long Beach, CA street course. Saturday (4/19) at 4:10 p.m. PT. The race will air RIGHT HERE ON TV3 on Sunday (4/20) at 12:30 p.m. ET. A weak frontal system passing through the area will bring cooler temperatures than southern Cali has been experiencing lately. Some early morning clouds should break up by late morning, giving way to partial sunshine. Expect a race time temperature near 65 degrees.
Champ Car World Series - Long Beach, CA street course. Sunday (4/20) at 1 p.m. PT. The race will air at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Patchy fog in the morning will gradually clear out leaving mostly sunny skies. The temperature will be near 68 degrees.
Rolex Sports Car Series - Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico. Saturday (4/19) at 4 p.m. on SPEED. Temperatures will be near 80 under partly sunny skies. Slight chance of a few afternoon showers or thunderstorms.
NASCAR Nationwide Series - Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico. Sunday (4/20) at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Ok, I suspect the race will start around 2 p.m. ET which would be 11 a.m. PT. Skies will be partly sunny, and the temperature will be around 80 degrees. Isolated thunderstorms are possible into the afternoon hours.
Winchester Speedway - Winchester/Hagerstown Shootout. Saturday (4/19), gates open at 4:30 p.m., hot laps at 6:15 p.m., and racing at 7 p.m. A slow moving system will approach the area, but most of Saturday should be nice. The showers should hold off until the overnight hours, so expect increasing clouds with a temperature in the mid 70's when the gates open. Temperatures will fall through the 60's into the 50's by the end of the night.
Next week the IndyCar Series reunites at Kansas Speedway, NASCAR returns with a race at Talladega, the Rolex Series will be at VIR, and I will be at Summit Point Motorsports Park for the SCCA MARRS Sports Cars event. I want to see your pictures! cassie@tv3winchester.com
Here is a picture I took from my hotel balcony in Myrtle Beach, SC of a thunderstorm moving out to sea.
This photo was taken by me on a plane ride from Columbus to Chicago last year. It is the anvil cloud top of a storm... I love flying above the clouds!
Some fair weather clouds I saw forming along the sea breeze on Grand Bahama Island.
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