2015 US Open Forecast: Less Humid, Periods of Rain for Championship Weekend

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

September 12,2015; 9:41PM,EDT

 

 

The 2015 U.S. Open tennis championships in Flushing, New York, are set to conclude this weekend with the men's and women's finals.
Clouds, rain, and cooler air will be around for spectators and athletes at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center through Sunday.

"An area of low pressure will be responsible for sending periods of rain into the area through Sunday," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jordan Root.
Arthur Ashe Stadium fills up with spectators for the championship match of the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament between Serena Williams, of the United States, and Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Players and fans have dealt with rain on several occasions, the wet conditions forcing delays at times.
Play was delayed for several hours on Thursday, Sept. 10, due to heavy rain. The day before, rain forced a delay that one player cited as a beneficial factor to victory on Wednesday.
Simona Halep defeated Victoria Azarenka after the match was delayed for roughly two hours. After underperforming in the second set, the delay gave her a break to regroup, the New York Times reported.
"Everything was negative in my head," Halep said. "The rain delay was perfect for me. It was unbelievable that I had another chance."
Before wet weather caused play interruptions, heat was played a detrimental role for several players as the championship was in its early stages.
Newsweek reported that a record number of players had to retire from the tournament, with heat and humidity among the primary reasons.
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The weather has already disrupted this year's tournament, but starting in 2016, showers and thunderstorms will have less of an impact when it comes to producing delays, as a new retractable roof is scheduled to be finished about Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tournament's primary venue.
According to the tournament's website, this is the first time "a stand alone support system has been constructed for a retractable roof over an existing stadium."
This year, the U.S. Tennis Association has set up meteorological equipment around the stadium and also is working with a Canadian wind-testing company "to measure conditions, seeking to ensure they will remain similar when the roof is open or closed," the Associated Press reported.
A view from the upper seating section in Arthur Ashe Stadium shows the framework of a retractable roof over the main court at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, home to the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Although rain delays could still plague this year's U.S. Open, fans will be able to watch matches from beneath the shade the roof provides. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Kevin Byrne at Kevin.Byrne@accuweather.com, follow him on Twitter at @Accu_Kevin. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook and Google+.