2017 Open Championship: Wind, rain to challenge players on Friday
An elderly couple was rescued from the roof of a house after severe thunderstorms caused flash flooding in the Cornish village of Coverack, Cornwall, on July 18.
The weather will once again create challenging conditions for players at the Open Championship in England.
After largely dry weather dominated the start of the 2017 Open Championship on Thursday, rainy spells and strong winds will make for a dreary day on Friday for those at Royal Birkdale in Southport.
"The rain will remain rather light through the early afternoon, which typically makes it easier to putt on the greens," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said. "However, there will be so much wind on Friday that it will probably cancel out any benefit the players receive from the softening of the course."
Sustained winds of 15-25 mph (24-40 km/h) are expected with gusts as high as 40 mph (65 km/h). Spectators will have trouble holding onto brollies.
Henrik Stenson of Sweden kisses the trophy after winning the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland, Sunday, July 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
"The rain will increase in intensity later in the day and could affect the end of rounds for later groupings still on the course," Pydynowski said.
The rain could fall hard enough to cause some brief delays to play if the greens and fairways become waterlogged.
"But if no puddles develop, the golfers should keep playing since no lightning is expected," Pydynowski said.
In addition to rain gear, jackets will be a necessity. Whilst a high of near 18 C (64 F) is expected, the rain and wind will combine to hold AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures to the lower teens C (50s F).
The same depression creating challenges for golfers at Royal Birkdale will spread downpours across Wales and southwestern England on Friday and Friday evening. Motorists will face reduced visibility and a heightened risk of vehicles hydroplaning.
The weather will improve some for the final two rounds of the Open this weekend as the rain becomes showery and winds lessen compared to Friday.
The showers will occasionally dampen the course, whilst occasional gusts to 20 mph (32 km/h) create less-than-ideal playing conditions.
An odd thundery shower cannot be ruled out as there will be some sunny breaks each day.
High temperatures on Saturday and Sunday are expected to be similar to Friday. However, the lack of wind may actually cause RealFeel temperatures to rise slightly higher than actual temperatures during any sunny spell.
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