Wednesday's Daytona 500 weather report: What's the rain forecast for Daytona Beach?

As cars take to the track at Daytona International Speedway for Wednesday night’s pole qualifying for the Daytona 500, all eyes remain focused on a less-then-promising weekend weather forecast that could affect Sunday’s running of the Great American Race.

Here’s Wednesday's update for Daytona Beach from the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

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Will it rain at the Daytona 500 and other Speedweek races?

The latest update to forecast models now call for a 70%-80% chance of rain on Saturday into Sunday morning in Daytona Beach, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

That doesn’t bode well for a full slate of Saturday races that includes a Cup Series final practice (10:30-11:20 a.m.); Xfinity Series qualifying (11:30 a.m.); ARCA Menards Series, Daytona ARCA 200 (1:30 p.m.); and the Xfinity Series, United Rentals 300, at 5 p.m.

For the 2:30 p.m. Sunday running of the Daytona 500, rain chances have now dropped from 70% earlier this week to 50%, according to the extended forecast. Nevertheless, scattered showers are still likely throughout the day, said Kole Fehling, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

“On Sunday, the outlook is for scattered showers all throughout the day, into the afternoon,” Fehling said, adding that there is still some difference at this point among forecast models.

“One model has the front a little farther south and keeps most of the rain to the south of Cape Canaveral into Sunday afternoon, but another model has pretty widespread rain (in Daytona Beach) on Sunday,” he said.

What factors are contributing to rainy weekend forecast?

The high rain probability is tied to a cold front that is expected to sweep across the area Saturday into early Sunday morning, according to the NWS.

“There’s a low-pressure system tracking across the Deep South and the North Carolina-Virginia area that’s bringing a cold front across the southeast and eastern gulf of Mexico into Sunday morning,” Fehling said. “The highest rain chances right now are Saturday night into early Sunday morning.”

During that period, it’s possible that the rainfall will be excessive, Fehling said.

“Right now, there’s about a 30-40% chance of Daytona Beach receiving greater than 1-inch of rain over a 24-hour period from 7 a.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday,” he said. “Hopefully, things will lighten up on Sunday, which is what the guidance now suggests.”

As the front arrives, weekend temperatures are expected to reach highs in the upper 60s on Saturday and a bit cooler, in the lower 60s, on Sunday. Nighttime lows are forecast to be in the 50s. In addition, winds out of the northwest are expected to be breezy on Sunday, with gusts of 20 mph possible.

The good news for Speedweek race fans is that sunny skies are expected through Friday, with minimal rain chances that will reach 20% overnight on Friday.

Here's the daily weather forecast for Speedweek, Daytona 500

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Partly cloudy at night, with a low around 55. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest after midnight.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 72. West wind around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon. A 20% chance of showers after 1 a.m., with a low around 58. East wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest after midnight.

Saturday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%, increasing to 80% at night. Nighttime north winds of 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. North northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. A 20% chance of showers at night, with a low around 50. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Daytona Beach radar

Daytona 500 schedule: Speedweek events

Wednesday, Feb. 14: Cup Series, Daytona 500 pole qualifying, 8:15 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 15: ARCA Menards Series practice, 4:05-4:55 p.m.; Craftsman Truck Series practice, 5:05-5:55 p.m.; Cup Series, Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1, 7 p.m.; Cup Series, Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2, 8:45 p.m. (approx.)

Friday, Feb. 16: ARCA Menards Series qualifying, 1:30 p.m.; Craftsman Truck Series qualifying, 3 p.m.; Xfinity Series practice, 4:35-5:25 p.m.; Cup Series practice, 5:35-6:25 p.m.; Craftsman Truck Series, Fresh From Florida 250, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 17: Cup Series final practice, 10:30-11:20 a.m.; Xfinity Series qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; ARCA Menards Series, Daytona ARCA 200, 1:30 p.m.; Xfinity Series, United Rentals 300, 5 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 18: 66th Daytona 500, 2:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona weather forecast for Daytona 500 2024, NASCAR Speedweek