Bike Week weather: Up-to-the-minute look at Daytona Beach forecast through opening weekend

As the clock ticks down toward Friday’s official opening day of Bike Week in Daytona Beach and throughout Central Florida, most of the event schedule is already locked down.

There will be plenty of bands, cold beer, souvenirs and prime people-watching on Main Street in Daytona Beach, the traditional epicenter of the 10-day event that runs this year from March 1-10.

Likewise, an array of vendors and concerts also will beckon at venues ranging from the 150-acre Destination Daytona complex in Ormond Beach to Sopotnick’s Cabbage Patch Bar in Samsula. At the latter, the popular coleslaw wrestling exhibitions are slated to unfold at noon Wednesday, March 6, and Saturday, March 9.

One of the only remaining wild cards for the estimated 300,000-400,000 motorcycle fans expected to descend on the region is the weather.

Here’s the latest outlook from the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

What’s the Bike Week weather forecast for Daytona Beach?

Here’s this week's extended daily forecast, as of Tuesday, from the NWS:

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 76 and nighttime low around 58. South wind 5-10 mph. No mention of rain.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81 and a nighttime low around 60. South wind 10-15 mph. Mostly cloudy at night.

Thursday: A 20% chance of showers after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70 and nighttime low around 62. A north wind of 10-15 mph is expected, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday: A 20% chance of showers under mostly cloudy skies with a high near 74 and nighttime low around 62. Forecast calls for an east-southeast wind of 10-15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Saturday: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 76 and nighttime low around 61. South wind of 5-10 mph is expected to be become easterly in the afternoon.

Sunday: A 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, dropping to 20% at night. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 76 and nighttime low around 61.

Monday: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

What happens at Daytona Bike Week?

The 83rd annual event runs from March 1-10 in Daytona Beach and throughout Central Florida.

Looking back: Daytona Beach's Bike Week: A history of beer, bikes, cole slaw and 'rowdyism'

The celebration is powered by an array of vendors offering everything from custom sunglasses to exhaust systems, live music and opportunities to cruise everywhere from jam-packed city streets to scenic rural roads.

Visit officialbikeweek.com for information.

What are some must-do Bike Week experiences?

Cruise Main Street: Although the event has expanded its footprint over the years, Main Street remains bucket-list worthy, especially for first-timers. Expect it to be packed elbow-to-elbow and tailpipe-to-tailpipe with motorcycles, onlookers, street vendors, bands and unusual characters from the Main Street bridge to State Road A1A.

Shop the Swap: Need a part or accessory? A complete engine? Check out the thousands of items for sale or trade at the annual Daytona Bike Week Swap Meet, a fixture for 45 years in the expansive grounds at 1471 Tomoka Farms Road, just south of the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market.

Rally in DeLand: Be sure to check out the annual DeLand Bike Rally, which features thousands of motorcycles along Woodland Boulevard. There’s a midway with motorcycle-related merchandise, as well as music, beer and food. Past events also have included a group biker wedding ceremony. This year’s rally unfolds from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 2.

Visit mainstreetdeland.org for details.

Ride the Ormond Loop: This famed 23-mile stretch from Birthplace of Speed Park to the Tomoka River basin is known for its lush canopies of live oaks and breathtaking ocean, river and marsh views. The trek, part of a larger 30-mile-plus double loop, takes riders past an assortment of oceanfront beach parks along State Road A1A, as well as North Peninsula State Park, Highbridge Park, Bulow Creek State Park and the Fairchild Oak, Tomoka State Park, Tomoka Outpost and the Ormond Beach Historical Society.

Bike Week at Daytona International Speedway

Throughout the event, Daytona International Speedway will host a mammoth motorcycle marketplace in the parking lots in front of the track along International Speedway Boulevard.

The free event features high-end manufacturer displays, top-of-the-line gear from Hot Leathers, free test rides on Progressive Demo Road, Harley-Davidson Thunder Alley and more.

Speed will be the name of the game at the 2024 Daytona Supercross at 7 p.m. March 2 at Daytona International Speedway. The course is regarded as the most demanding of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship season.

Tickets range from $55-$69 at daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

On Bike Week’s closing weekend, the Daytona 200, hosted by MotoAmerica, will unfold March 7-9 (times TBD) at the Speedway. The race features the high-powered machines on both the Speedway’s famed high banks as well as the infield road course.

Two-day ticket packages are $59, with three-day packages available for $79 at daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

In addition to the 200, the Speedway also will host the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Championship, The Twins Cup Championship and the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship during Bike Week.

Visit daytonainternationalspeedway.com for details.

Where can I get more Bike Week information?

Visit officialbikeweek.com for a full listing of events.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Beach weather forecast for Bike Week 2024