Masters Tournament Weather Alert: Heavy Rain to Affect Opening Round

The first major golf event of the year is likely to get off to a rainy start in Georgia, with a slow-moving storm system dumping heavy rain on Augusta this week.

The FOX Forecast Center predicts heavy rain in the Peach State beginning Wednesday, with thunderstorms possible Thursday morning.

Because most of the rainfall will fall when daytime heating is at its lowest, widespread severe weather is unlikely in Augusta, but any storm will have the potential to produce heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and cloud-to-ground lightning. Forecast models predict that between 1-3″ will fall over Augusta National Golf Club, home to the Masters Tournament.

Once the related cold front passes, it will help to clear things out, with only sunny but breezy conditions expected for the rest of the week and weekend.

Aside from the weather, the field of 89 golfers, including Tiger Woods, will have to deal with high to excessive quantities of pollen.

A mild winter and wet spring allowed vegetation to bloom throughout the South, resulting in an early and widespread leaf-out season for many plant species. Due to its early April date, the Masters Tournament is prone to bad weather.

Storms caused delays in 2023, with numerous trees falling amid spectators. Despite the inclement weather, the competition concluded at nightfall on Sunday, with no serious injuries reported.

Rainfall also had an impact on tournaments in 2022, and 2019, and around half of the other years since the 1930s. Despite Mother Nature’s tendency to provide bad weather, just a few championships have ended on a Monday, including 1983 and 1973.

According to the Augusta Chronicle, 2.5 inches of rain poured on the course in 1973, postponing Round 3, resulting in the final round and the champion being declared on a Monday.