The weather was NOT VERY GOOD yesterday, but it did behave. I did have some forecast anxiety when the game got pushed back 20 minutes. It's a really thin line between terrible but playable and terrible and canned. IMHO, The Cubs did the right thing to gut this one out and take the off day, rest the bullpen, and warm up indoors a bit before the vaunted Dodgers come to Wrigley in what feels like a huge series for this Cubs team.
We've got a Friday 1:20, Saturday 3:05, and a Sunday 1:20 incoming. Unfortunately, we are still in the same cold regime, with all the cold air drawn down by this week's storm still just sitting there. The good news is Sunday is really the only actually questionable setup, and there's enough time between now and then for some favorable tweaks.
Friday temps, National map, & HRRR. Maps: tropicaltidbits.com, College of DuPage
Cold, blustery, but not horrible. Low 40s, North winds in from LF/CF 10-15 gusts to 25mph, and a slight chance of lake-effect showers early on. Could be snow flakes mixed in for you early Murphy's Bleachers 9am pre-gamers.
Saturday temps, National maps from GFS & Euro:
This is the game you want to go to. Brilliant sunshine will balance a little extra unwanted air conditioning from The Lake, and a Pat Hughes Sweater giveaway. Temps in the low to mid 40s, light & variable winds, but probably more of a lake air invasion breeze in from RF. Sit in the sunshine and you'll be able to pretend it's Actual Spring™.
Sunday temps, National maps from GFS & Euro:
Yuh-oh. I don't love the near perfect agreement from the Euro & GFS on the rain moving in from our next storm, but I'm not that worried just yet with this long to go. At the moment, this looks like the annoying one of the 3 games. Cool, mid 40s, damp southeast winds out toward LF Corner gusting to 25mph. Showers becoming likely by mid-game, but we will watch to see if there are timing tweaks. Flagging this one for delay potential, but we'll see.
This, unbelievably, is an improvement over the Rockies series. I can't wait to tell you this cold air is getting kicked outta town. We are not there yet, friends.
Here we go. Shohei & the Dodgers are about to find out what it means to play in Wrigley in April. Let's go Cubs.