Charlotte race could be hit by Hurricane (2nd Update)
The race is scheduled to start at 8:16pm, with qualifying at 4:45pm. Friday night has an 80% to 90% chance of rain, with heaviest amounts expected between 8 and 10 p.m. and after midnight, Visin said. Rain chances ramp up from a 60% chance beginning between 4 and 6 p.m. Friday, she said. Showers are forecast to continue until about 11 a.m. Saturday in Concord. While Visin said meteorologists still can't rule out the possibility of rain Saturday evening, the chance stands at only 20%. "This is very dependent on the track of Matthew," Visin said.
The National Hurricane Center predicts Matthew will curve eastward from the S.C. coast Saturday afternoon, but several computer models Wednesday night predicted the storm would continue northward to near the N.C.-S.C. border before turning east.
It's too early to say whether the Xfinity race will be postponed to Saturday or Sunday, Charlotte Motor Speedway spokesman Scott Cooper said. But speedway officials "feel very good about Saturday evening" for the Bank of America 500, he said. The speedway has 12 jet dryers – double the number required by NASCAR – and 12 Air Titans to dry the track in 90 minutes, Cooper said. An additional 10 dump truck loads of gravel and two additional dump truck loads of sand are on hand to shore up any spots on the property affected by rain, he said.
The speedway, meanwhile, has plenty of dry camping spaces with restroom/bathhouse access available to Hurricane Matthew evacuees, Cooper said. At $125 for a week's stay, spaces "are much more affordable than several nights of stay at a hotel," he said. "Plus, there's a lot of free entertainment with our Fan Zone through the weekend to take an evacuee's mind off what may be happening with the storm on the coast." More info on camping at charlottemotorspeedway.com. Charlotte Observer
10/06/16 Hurricane Matthew continues to make it's way towards the Southeast United States, however, meteorologists predict a sharp right turn may prevent impact on North Carolina's coast. The National Hurricane Center Wednesday's afternoon advisory extended the warning further north in Florida. "Florida, full precautions, this is going to be a major hurricane affecting the East Coast," Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich said. The storm's track appears to work its way up the Florida coast with winds between 120 to 140 mph, and then, "in the last couple of runs, Matthew is deciding to take a hard right turn."
The low pressure of nearby tropical storm Nicole may change Hurricane Matthew's route. Panovich says the low pressures of nearby tropical storm Nicole may attract the hurricane, creating the possibility of a sharp right turn before hitting North Carolina's coast. In a press conference Wednesday, North Carolina Governor McCrory urged North Carolinians and visitors to closely follow the storm and listen to any evacuation orders. "This morning we received some good news that Matthew's track has moved slightly off shore, but we remain cautiously optimistic and are prepared to respond at a moment's notice," said Governor McCrory. wcnc.com
Charlotte Motor Speedway has plenty of dry camping spaces with restroom/bathhouse access available to evacuees, speedway spokesman Scott Cooper said. Spaces "are much more affordable than several nights of stay at a hotel," he said. "Plus, there's a lot of free entertainment with our Fan Zone through the weekend to take an evacuee's mind off what may be happening with the storm on the coast." Charlotte Observer
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| Will Charlotte be wet? |
10/05/16 The Charlotte area will enjoy several days of dry, unseasonably warm temperatures this week. But all that will change starting Friday because of Hurricane Matthew. Rain and gusty winds could push into Charlotte and its eastern suburbs later Friday and Saturday, forecasters said. The major Category 4 storm is currently wreaking havoc in the Caribbean. "Friday is when the uncertainty (of the impact) increases exponentially" for the Charlotte region, National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Lane said. The National Hurricane Center predicts Matthew will have top sustained winds of 105 to 110 mph when it reaches the Carolinas this weekend. Some computer models showed more than 4 inches of rain falling in or near Charlotte later Friday and early Saturday. Charlotte Observer
AND On Monday, Gov. Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency for 66 counties in North Carolina, from the coast to west of Winston-Salem. McCrory urged residents to make sure their home storm kits are fully stocked and that they've thought about where they would go if they need to evacuate. The state of emergency also lifts restrictions on weights for trucks carrying crops that are being harvested quickly before the storm. While meteorologists stress that it will be another couple days before they have more confidence in the forecast, some of the computer models are beginning to show possible rainfall totals for the Charlotte area from late Friday to early Saturday. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management said Tuesday morning that it is monitoring the storm and its predicted path. Charlotte Observer