For the Phillies-Braves series, at least the weather will be a winner in South Philly
Temperatures will be more than bearable for the next Phillies-Braves games, and rain is all but out of the question.
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Regardless of what happens on the field, it is almost certain that an October weather winning streak will continue in South Philly for the Phillies-Braves series, with better-than-bearable temperatures and once again virtually no chance of rain Wednesday or Thursday.
“We are expecting both days to go without any weather issues,” said Amanda Lee, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
The forecast game-time temperature Wednesday, 67 degrees, would be several degrees lower than it was at first pitch in Atlanta on Monday evening. It should be few degrees warmer Thursday under cloudy skies, but it’s unlikely that many of the fans will be interested in the night sky.
Winds will be negligible on both nights, and likely won’t be much of a factor.
Wednesday’s game time of 5:07 p.m., the time of day when the low angle of the sun makes our shadows resemble giants on stilts, could cause some issues early in the game for outfielders. The late-afternoon shadows thrown by the Citizens Bank Park structure on the third-base side will be creeping across the outfield.
“I always say having to deal with the shadows approaching at sunset stinks,” said Bobby Martrich, meteorologist with EPAWA Weather Consulting, which provides forecast services to the Phillies, “but both teams have to deal with it for at least one inning. So, there’s that.”
Overall, the Phillies, and Major League Baseball, have had a run of weather good fortune this postseason.
Based on long-term National Weather Service data, on average, precipitation falls about every third day in October, when nor’easters and downpours from tropical remnants have been known to happen.
However, this October has been bone dry in Philly, with a grand total of 0.03 inches of rain through Monday.
That’s not only been good for baseball. The recent sequence of sunny days and cool nights also would be ideal for the annual autumn show around here, according to foliage experts.
The run of decent weather, however, is all but certain to end during the weekend, said the weather service’s Lee. A significant rainstorm is expect to affect the region Friday night into Sunday, with some coastal flooding possible at the Shore with persistent onshore winds and tides swelled by the new moon.
It won’t be an issue for the Phillies: Regardless of the outcome of their games Wednesday and Thursday, the Phillies won’t be playing in South Philly this weekend. A Game 5, if it were needed, would be played in Atlanta.