Updated Discussion and Forecast

Looks like the trough is going to push down just a little bit further than I thought yesterday. Winds are actually going to cooperate more so than discussed in the previous forecast. Also, rain chances have increased a little bit for earlier in the game. If it does rain, however, it won’t be much rain at all to worry about. All in all, if it does rain, it will be less than 0.10″ which means we will barely notice it.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Maroon Madness (7:00 PM): 78 °F, partly cloudy, winds from the South around 5 mph, chance of rain 30%

Cowbell Yell (9:30 PM): 72 °F, partly cloudy, winds from the South around 5 mph, chance of rain 20%

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Filling up “The Pit” (6:00 AM): 66 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the Northeast below 5 mph, chance of rain 30%

Gameday is LIVE from the Junction (8:00 AM): 69 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the North at 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

Coach Corso putting on Bully’s head (11:00 AM): 75 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the NW at 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

Dawg Walk and gates open (12:30 PM): 77 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the NW at 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

Kickoff (2:40 PM): 78 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the North at 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

Halftime (4:10 PM): 80 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the North at 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

Wrapping it in Maroon and White (6:00 PM): 74 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the North at 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

Previous Discussion and Forecast

You wanted it. You asked for it. Now we have it. ESPN’s College Gameday has arrived in Starkville, MS for the matchup between the #2 Auburn Tigers and the #3 Mississippi State Bulldogs in the only Top-5 matchup in the nation this week. With the arrival of College Gameday comes the rumblings of “What is the weather going to do now that we have the largest national spotlight on us this weekend?” I’ve already been asked multiple times if it’s going to rain this weekend leading up to and during the game. Needless to say, this is the most attention that Starkville has garnered in a long time. We certainly don’t want the weather fowling anything up while on the national stage. Not only for gameday, but also for tailgating (I’m looking at you USM game).

This weekend’s weather forecast is a difficult one because if one variable changes one way or another, the forecast changes. It’s a marginal rain chance for the weekend, but it will definitely get easier as the week progresses. I know what you’re saying, “But aren’t you supposed to know what’s going to happen by now?” On easier days. that’s certainly the case. But with a situation like it has been lately, I must say this is a difficult forecast to deal with just because we are one or two variables away from having rain and ruining a few people’s tailgates. Luckily for College Gameday, everything they do is covered pretty much so there’s no harm, no foul with them.

Wind will be the huge factor in the game as winds will shift dramatically throughout the game. Starting off with a Southerly breeze which will blow straight into the stadium. By the end of the game, the wind will be coming from the North and funneling down from the top of the expansion. This could make the kicking game that much more important to control. Also, as the night progresses so does the rain potential. If this game goes on longer than expected, this could turn into a punishing run game where the team who can control the trenches better will win. Running is the Bulldogs strong suit, so I’m sure they are all hoping for rain here in the forecast.

Now don’t freak out just yet concerning the rain chances. I’ll detail that in just a bit. First off, let me go ahead and tell you all the events I’m going to forecast for in this edition. Friday evening, we have Maroon Madness downtown, and then a special Cowbell Yell featuring ESPN, CBS, and our guest picker for College Gameday. Now I know that I usually focus on the day of the game itself, but this warrants its own forecast since both events are outdoors. Hopefully, there will be enough people at each of these events that we make MSU proud. On the day of the game itself, we will start off at 6 AM which is the advised time on when to start piling into “The Pit” for College Gameday. We go LIVE from the Junction at 8 AM and Gameday will run until 11 AM on ESPN. At 12:30 PM, the Dawg Walk will start off. Then, the game will kick off officially at 2:40 PM. So let’s get right to it, shall we?

Numbers You Want to Know

Friday, October 10, 2014

Maroon Madness (7:00 PM, Main Street): 75 °F, partly cloudy, winds from the SSE @ 5-10 mph, chance of rain 30%

Cowbell Yell (9:30 PM, Davis Wade Stadium): 72 °F, partly cloudy, winds from the S below 5 mph, chance of rain 30%

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Crowding into “The Pit” (6:00 AM): 65 °F, partly cloudy, winds from the S below 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

College Gameday LIVE from the Junction (8:00 AM): 72°F, mostly cloudy, winds from the S below 5 mph, chance of rain 40%

Coach Corso putting on the Bully head and full on CLANGA (11:00 AM): 75 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the SW at 5-10 mph, chance of rain 40%.

Dawg Walk begins and gates open (12:30 PM): 77 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the SW at 5-10 mph, chance of rain 40%.

Kickoff on CBS (2:40 PM): 79 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the SW at 5-10 mph, chance of rain 40%

Halftime (4:10 PM): 81 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the W at 5-10 mph, chance of rain 40%

Wrapping it in Maroon and White on the way to #1 in the polls (6:00 PM): 75 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the N at 5-10 mph, chance of rain 40%

Ringing the cowbells all the way home (7:30 PM): 71 °F, mostly cloudy, winds from the NE below 5 mph, chance of rain 60%.