As any marathoner knows, weather is a huge part of the race, both in how it will affect an individual's performance, and how it will contribute to the overall "flavor" of the race. The Channel 3 Weather Team is dedicated to providing the very best weather information so you can plan accordingly for race day.
Climatology records tell us that we can expect a low of 49° and a high of 70° on Race Day. This translates to a temperature of about 54° at the 8:00 AM start of the race, with the temperature reaching about 67° by Noon. But those of us who live here know that those averages are just that – averages. More often than not, we see wild variations in our weather. The conditions for the VCM over the years have run the gamut from snow, sleet and cold to sunny and hot. And of course, there has been rain and wind. And every now and then, we get one of those ideal "average" days.
Here is a look at the race day weather for the last 5 years:
|
Year
|
Low
|
High
|
Rain
|
Wind
|
Comments
|
| 2012 |
52° |
77° |
0.00" |
Light, northwest |
Mixed sun & clouds. Low humidity. |
| 2011 |
68° |
81° |
0.20" |
Moderate to brisk, south |
Rain for first hour, then mixed sun & clouds. Very humid. |
| 2010 |
55° |
73° |
0.00" |
Light, west, then brisk northwest |
Mostly cloudy, some sun late, low humidity. |
| 2009 |
57° |
76° |
0.11" |
Light, south, then west
|
Showers for first 3 hours, then mostly sunny. |
| 2008 |
39° |
74° |
0.00" |
Light, variable
|
Chilly start, then warm. 100% sunshine. Low humidity.
|
In the weeks before the race, we will provide a general "trend" as to what we can expect for weather at the end of the month. In the week before the race, we will start giving more specific forecasts, narrowing down the race day weather.
So, keep checking back to this page on wcax.com. Good luck and see you at the race!
-The Channel 3 Weather Team
Sharon Meyer, Gary Sadowsky, Dan Dowling, Dave Busch, and Nick Borelli
The key is to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.
