World Series Forecast: Will Weather Be a Factor in Cleveland and Chicago?

Jon Erdman
Published: October 25,2016

Left: Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant warms up during a team practice for baseball's upcoming World Series against the Cleveland Indians on Monday, Oct. 24, 2016 in Cleveland. Right: Mike Napoli of the Cleveland Indians looks on during Media Day workouts for the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field on October 24,2016 in Cleveland.
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip; Elsa/Getty Images)

The 2016 World Series features two cold-climate cities starving for their first baseball championship since the early 20th century.
Given this, will weather play any role in this surreal clash between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs?

Game 2: Chilly, Threat of Rain in Cleveland

Early last week, Cleveland enjoyed three straight days with highs in the 80s.
But late October can be a raw time of year along the lakeshore in northern Ohio as the last vestiges of summer give way to windy, cold fall winds.
Fortunately, temperatures should be on par with late-October averages, hovering in the upper 40s.
While Game 1 was dry, there is a threat of light rain for Game 2 on Wednesday night. Due to this potential, Major League Baseball has decided to move the game ahead an hour with first pitch now scheduled for 7:08 p.m. EDT, as the rain is expected to get heavier later Wednesday night.
(FORECAST: Cleveland)

Model Forecast: Game 2

The only World Series game in league history to be suspended due to rain was Game 5 of the 2008 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies, when the combination of rain and wind in Philadelphia forced the Oct. 27 game to be completed two days later.
Coincidentally, current Cubs manager Joe Maddon was skipper of the Rays in that series eight years ago.
Incidentally, the coldest World Series game of the last 40 years was on Oct. 22, 1997, in Cleveland, with a game-time temperature of 38 degrees, wind chills in the upper teens and flurries falling during the game.

Games 3 through 5: Balmy, By Chicago Standards

For those who hope weather won't screw up sports championships, the two (or three, if necessary) games at Chicago's Wrigley Field should make you happy.
There are three most notable things about the weather in Chicago for the World Series:
1) The wind will be blowing out in Game 3 Friday night, with south-southwest winds from 10-20 mph.
2) Temperatures should be quite warm, by late October standards, particularly Friday and Saturday evenings.
3) Any rain should remain generally north of Wrigleyville.
Pre-game revelry couldn't have better weather with afternoon highs at least in the mid-60s Friday and pushing 70 degrees Saturday.
(FORECAST: Chicago)
The last World Series games played in Wrigley Field featured daytime highs ranging from 51 degrees on Oct. 8, 1945, to a balmy 74 degrees on Oct. 7, 1945.

Forecast Model Winds Friday Night: Game 3 First Pitch

Games 6 and 7 Outlook: November Warmth in Cleveland

If this best-of-seven game series needs Games 6 and 7 in Cleveland Tuesday and Wednesday, once again, the weather does not look chilly.
Initial forecast guidance suggests that a cold front will be pushing through the western Great Lakes, but may not have enough energy to push through northern Ohio, keeping Cleveland rather mild for early November.
The outlook is mild with west to southwest winds and evening (game-time) temperatures in the 50s or even low 60s.
(FORECAST: Cleveland)
It remains too soon to tell if that sluggish front will push close enough to the Cleveland metro next week to spawn any showers.

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