A look at the weather forecast and going for Royal Ascot. Unsettled start with the threat of heavy showers and thunderstorms but improving nicely for Ladies Day, Gold Cup and the end of the week.
The first day starts with a fair amount of cloud, damp weather the possibility of thunderstorms. Later in the week, it looks drier and brighter with temperatures in the high teens. Forecast for Ascot Racecourse
Going started the day as Good on the straight course and Good /Good to Soft on the round course. but Good to Soft seems likely as light rain arrived in the morning and heavy even thundery showers are possible during the second part of the day. Chris Stickels, the Clerk of the Course said it hadn't rained at Ascot since Sunday morning so there had been a good drying spell.
Click on image for most recent radar picture. Red dot is Ascot racecourse
As always with showers, the downpours are hit and miss. So there is the potential for a hefty downpour, bringing 10s mm of rain or that shower being a mile down the road and missing the racecourse. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms over southern England. So far on Tuesday, the heaviest showers have passed to the east of Ascot. The one to the south looks ominous. (14:25)
Overnight it looks like there could be heavy downpours, with thunderstorms moving NE across Berkshire. If one of these does hit the racecourse it could bring 20 to 50mm of rain.
Wednesday- the main cluster of heaviest and thundery showers moves away to the NE around 8am although there could be a few lighter showers in the morning. The afternoon improves, it becomes drier, the cloud lifts and breaks and by the last few races, the weather will be brighter, up to 17C. Then dry overnight.
A more settled picture for the end of the week as pressure begins to rise. It will be fine and bright, dry with a slight breeze. Will rustle feathers but shouldn't whip off any hats. In sheltered sunshine, it will feel warm, with moderate to high UV values but air temperatures will only be 18C so it's not hot.
Rest of the week at Ascot
The dry fine weather continues for the rest of the week and there will be more sunshine and slightly warmer each day with 20C (68F) forecast on Saturday for the Diamon Jubilee Stakes.
