- Showers and thunderstorms are possible at the US Open on Saturday evening.
- We expect the weather to improve by Sunday and Monday.
- Later in the weekend it will also be cooler and less humid.
US Open players and spectators may have to expect some weather-related issues, but things should improve during the second half of Labor Day weekend.
The last of the four “Grand Slam” tennis tournaments takes place every year in late August and early September at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.
Let’s take a look at the forecast to see if the first big weekend of the tournament could be affected.
Overview of the weekend forecasts by day:
- Saturday: The greatest probability of rain is during the night from Saturday to Sunday, but we cannot completely rule out isolated showers or thunderstorms during the day.
- Sunday: We cannot rule out a shower, especially in the morning, but overall it looks drier than on Saturday.
- Labor Day: The weather looks fabulous.
(10-DAY FORECAST: Flushing, New York)
Now let’s look at the two main weather influences that have caused headaches at previous US Opens.
Heat and humidity: Some moist air is expected Saturday, possibly until the cold front moves through and brings refreshingly dry air later Sunday that lasts into Labor Day.
The combination of heat and humidity last September was so bad that US Open officials implemented a measure that partially closed the retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium to provide some shade during these extreme conditions.
And looking ahead, we see no signs of extreme heat or humidity for the remainder of the tournament until the finals on the weekend of September 7-8.
(192 hours: Improve your forecast with our detailed hourly breakdown for the next 8 days – only available on our Premium Pro Experience.)
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic pours water over his head to cool down between sets against American Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals of the US Open in New York, Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Risk of rain: As mentioned above, there is a chance of rain in Flushing on Saturday, which could affect the third round matches tonight.
Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium both have retractable roofs, installed in 2016 and 2018 respectively, in case of inclement weather.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that rain can’t cause headaches.
Three years ago, the remnants of Hurricane Ida caused deadly flooding in the northeastern United States on the night of September 1, including in the New York City subway. Water poured through several openings in the roof of Louis Armstrong Stadium, even though it was closed during a game between Kevin Anderson and Diego Schwartzman, prompting the game to be moved to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
(15-minute details: For even more detailed weather data in your area, check out your 15-minute detailed forecast in our Premium Pro Experience.)
Despite the roof, it rained on the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York on September 1, 2021. Heavy rain, gusts of wind and lightning flooded the streets of the metropolis and the grounds of the US Open.
(Benno Schwinghammer/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)
