NASCAR

Joaquin and Dover
Category 4 Hurricane Joaquin on October 1, 2015, as viewed by GOES-13. Photo: NOAA

Category 4 Hurricane Joaquin on October 1, 2015, as viewed by GOES-13. Photo: NOAA

The meteorology models regarding the path of Hurricane Joaquin differ greatly, with some saying it will make landfall in the Carolinas/Virginia or north of there and others saying it will turn and head out into the Atlantic. Astrometeorology can be a real asset in pinpointing the direction/landfall of a hurricane.

Based on the autumn ingress chart and the October 4, 2015 lunar phase chart, Joaquin appears to be headed for the northeast, with landfall in Maine/Canada. Saturn (overcast, cool, storms) and Neptune (precipitation, flooding) are prominent there in the ingress chart, and Neptune is prominent in the lunar phase chart. The lunar phase chart also has a Mars-Neptune opposition – a classic hurricane aspect.

So this weekend’s scheduled race at Dover is likely to be rescheduled because of the effects of Joaquim. Will it be Monday? Maybe. Tuesday? More likely. Monday depends on the rain stopping in time to dry the track and run at least half the laps before sundown – iffy, at best.

Be sure to check out the Autumn Forecast, a seasonal overview of the next three months.

Kentucky Rain

Sparta, Kentucky and the surrounding area is in a generally cloudy and wet pattern the week of the July 8-15 lunar phase. Thus, rain could cause a bit of havoc for the three NASCAR races there this weekend.

The Trucks race is Thursday evening (July 9), when there is fortunately little chance for race-changing weather. There could, however, be a shower, because of the general weather pattern.

The same may not be true of Friday evening’s (July 10) Xfinity race. Rain is a definite possibility during the hour or two before the scheduled green flag, which is about the time it should taper off and end.

Although we’re unlikely to see another middle-of-the-night race like last week at Daytona, astrometeorology indicates a high probability of cloudy skies and rain on Saturday, July 11, the date of the evening Cup race. The Moon will activate the week’s strong lineup for rain and overcast skies (Venus opposition Saturn contacting the lunar phase chart meridian), beginning in the late morning. The good news is that astrometeorology indicates the rain could begin to move out mid-afternoon, with scattered showers until about an hour before the scheduled green flag. Caveat: it’s always possible that atmospheric conditions could create overcast skies with only a few insignificant showers, but the planetary lineup active during this lunar phase is a classic one for overcast skies and heavy precipitation.

Bristol Rainout?

Maybe. Maybe not.

The meteorology models are nearly unanimous in forecasting a rainout for Sunday’s Bristol race, and Monday looks more favorable.

Astrometeorology, however, has a different take on the Bristol weather. Which doesn’t necessarily mean the race will happen or be completed on Sunday.

Planetary alignments indicate heavy rain beginning about 9-10 pm Saturday and continuing until about 2-3 am on Sunday. Monday looks even wetter, with rain beginning in the early morning hours and continuing until early to mid afternoon.

However, with so much moisture in the atmosphere and the region, light, on-and-off rain is a real possibility and would be enough to postpone the race because of the time necessary to dry the track.