UFC White House live weather updates: Will rain in D.C. forecast impact Freedom 250 card?
UFC White House live weather updates: Will rain in D.C. forecast impact Freedom 250 card? originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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It’s not often that you see an MMA match outdoors. The extreme heat can be tough to fight in, not to mention any severe weather that may impact the fight card.
Alas, for the UFC and the White House, these risks were worth the potential payoff. How often does an organization get the chance to host an event on the White House lawn after all?
But with great reward comes great risk. In this case, the forecast is set to include some rain and potentially some severe storms.
Here’s what to know about the weather forecast as the UFC White House card rapidly approaches.
MORE: UFC White House card details, date, time, tickets, more
UFC White House weather updates
(All times listed in ET)
Sunday, June 14
10 a.m. – The National Weather Service has increased its chance of rain to 70%, forecasting “likely” showers and thunderstorms for the D.C. area before 10 p.m. ET. That puts the rain squarely in the window for the 8 p.m. start time of the Freedom 250 card.
On Friday night, UFC delayed a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial due to nearby lightning strikes.
UFC CEO Dana White has maintained to reporters the event fill go forward as scheduled Sunday night regardless of the weather.
“Listen, the show goes on on Sunday,” White said. “No matter what happens.”
Saturday, June 13
3:32 p.m. – Sunday night’s forecast in Washington, D.C. features a rather overcast nature with humidity and a 40% chance of precipitation, according to Weather.gov. Earlier in the day, there is a chance of showers (60%) after 2 p.m. ET.
Temperatures during the card should hover around 60-74 degrees with slight wind in the ballpark of 5-12 mph.
More updates will be provided as the event nears.
Washington, D.C. forecast for June 14
- High temperature: 95 degrees
- Chance of rain: 40-70%
There are two major factors to consider with the weather in terms of the fight: the rainfall and the severe weather.
In terms of rainfall, it’s largely a coin flip from 5 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. According to the National Weather Service, the chance for precipitation will range from 40-70% throughout the afternoon.
Here is the National Weather Service’s updated forecast for Sunday, June 14 in Washington, D.C.:
Sunday
Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. South wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday night
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind 6 to 9 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
MORE: UFC White House card predictions, picks, odds
When does UFC Freedom 250 start?
- Main card: 8 p.m. ET
- Main event: 11 p.m. ET (approx.)
Sunday’s main card for Freedom 250 is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET. There are no preliminary fights on this card, so there is flexibility to move the event up or down depending on the weather.
What happens if it rains at Freedom 250?
The UFC plans to continue the event, regardless of any light to moderate rain. Part of the outdoor arena built on the South Lawn contains an overhead canopy to combat these concerns.
If the weather becomes dangerous, however, the event will be delayed. This includes any lightning strikes or severe winds, for example.
Has a UFC fight ever been outdoors?
While UFC CEO Dana White generally tries to avoid outdoor venues because of weather concerns. That being said, the Freedom 250 is not the first UFC event to take place outdoors.
That honor belongs to UFC 112, which took place at a temporary venue in Abu Dhabi in 2010. Back then, the title match featured Anderson Silva and Demian Maia.
There was no rain at that event, but it was a historically dry season featuring dust storms in the United Arab Emirates.
