Masters weather updates: Rain, wind, thunderstorms cause Augusta to suspend end of Round 2 until Saturday

Joe Rivera

•
Masters weather updates: Rain, wind, thunderstorms cause Augusta to suspend end of Round 2 until Saturday image

Georgia may be on your mind — but probably so is the weather.

The Masters has dealt with weather hurdles over the last few years, literally and figuratively casting a black cloud over golf's most prestigious tournament.

The 2023 Masters befell the same weather fate not once, but twice.

Friday's weather forecast wasn't particularly aesthetically pleasing for patrons and golfers looking to make their way to Augusta National for Round 2 of the Masters. Tee times were moved up by 30 minutes with rain expected to fall in the afternoon, and play in the tournament was officially delayed at 3:07 p.m. ET because of it.

The good news was that the first delay lasted just 21 minutes.

The bad news is that the return lasted under an hour before officials on hand had to blow the horn once again. The tournament was eventually suspended until Saturday, when the second round resumed at 8 a.m. ET.

MORE: How to get Masters tickets for 2024

Here's what to know about this weekend's wet weather in Augusta:

Augusta weather forecast for 2023 Masters

Saturday, April 8 forecast

Players were able to return to the course as scheduled at 8 a.m. ET, but the question is how long that will last, as there is a 100 percent chance of rain throughout the day. That's in addition to high winds and plummeting temperatures. 

Here's how the weather forecast is looking for Saturday:

Hourly forecast from the National Weather Service

  • Saturday morning: "Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 51. Northeast wind 15 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible."
  • Saturday night: "Rain, mainly before 2am. Low around 44. Breezy, with a northeast wind 16 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible."

Friday, April 7 forecast

Wet weather was expected to factor into Friday's Round 2, but the question was when exactly things would turn dreary. The official PGA Tour forecast released early Friday indicates those with later tee times will be at greater risk of a weather delay, with rain chances growing from 30 percent at 11 a.m. ET to 60 percent at 3 p.m. and thunderstorms likely to pop up in the afternon. 

Here's how the weather is looking for Friday:

Hourly forecast from the National Weather Service

  • Friday morning: "A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 74. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms."
  • Friday night: "Showers, mainly before 4am, then rain after 4am. Low around 48. Northeast wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible."

Ultimately, play was suspended at Augusta National as of 3:07 p.m. ET. The Masters announced the decision on social media and communicated that more updates would come in as they are made available.

That said, the delay lasted just 21 minutes overall. That is good for the shortest weather delay in Masters history, per Justin Ray. 

MORE: Tree falls near crowd at 2023 Masters due to wind in second round

Unfortunately, the clear skies didn't last long. Play was suspended once again just 54 minutes after it resumed. This time, it was due to the looming threat of thunderstorms and heavy winds in the area.

The conditions eventually forced the Masters to officially postpone the remainder of the second round until Saturday with a time of 8 a.m. ET for the re-start. The third round will not have a given start time until the second round is completed in the morning.

The grouping of Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Smith and Sungjae Im were the last to tee off on Friday, and were through eight holes at the time of the suspended play.

Saturday, April 8 forecast

There is a 100 percent chance of rain and it is expected to be windy and cold on the course. It isn't yet clear if they will wait out the weather or if they will try to get through the day if the precipitation remains light.

Here's how the weather is looking for Saturday:

Hourly forecast from the National Weather Service

  • Saturday morning: "Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 51. Northeast wind 15 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible."
  • Saturday night: "Rain, mainly before 2am. Low around 44. Breezy, with a northeast wind 16 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible."

Joe Rivera

Joe Rivera Photo

Joe Rivera is in his seventh year with The Sporting News, handling NFL, MLB and some things pro wrestling. A proud-ish Rutgers University graduate, Rivera combines a new-school flair with an old-school soul. He loves dingers, wrestling, comic books, movies, music and really bad puns. He is also a card-carrying BBWAA member and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater.

You can find him and tweet him @JoeRiveraSN, if you're into that sort of thing.