Adverse weather has affected every Masters since 2019, and this year looks to be no different. Early thunderstorms have the potential to delay first-round action at the 88th Masters as rain is forecasted to hit Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday morning. How much golf is able to be played on the first day will be something to follow, as once the rain clouds and electricity subside, ideal conditions will be presented to players for the remainder of the 2024 Masters.
The winds will join the precipitation as a factor that must be considered Thursday. Sustained winds in the mid teens are expected all week long making crucial holes -- such as those featured in Amen Corner -- all the more difficult. These winds are forecasted to gust up to nearly 40 mph on Thursday and Friday, though they will temper down once the weekend rolls around, according to Accuweather.
Should this forecast materialize, it will mean that 49 out of the 88 Masters will have experienced some sort of rain. After no rain fell during play from 2014-18, Augusta National has received rain in each of the last five tournaments.
Watch all four rounds of the 2024 Masters starting Thursday with Masters Live as we follow the best golfers in the world through Augusta National with Featured Groups, check in at the famed Amen Corner and see leaders round the turn on holes 15 & 16. Watch live on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app and Paramount+.
2024 Masters weather forecast
| Day | Temp (Hi/Lo) | AM Winds (Gusts) | AM Rain | PM Winds (Gusts) | PM Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday | 79 / 56 | 20 mph (39 mph) | 81% | 20 mph (38 mph) | 55% |
Friday | 73 / 51 | 16 mph (32 mph) | 0% | 14 mph (37 mph) | 0% |
Saturday | 78 / 55 | 6 mph (17 mph) | 0% | 7 mph (17 mph) | 0% |
Sunday | 84 / 58 | 7 mph (9 mph) | 3% | 9 mph (22 mph) | 3% |
Last year, the final pairing of Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm needed to play 29 holes on Sunday after Saturday's action was washed out with heavy rain. Koepka slept on a four-stroke lead heading into the final day but saw his edge cut in half by the time the final round officially started.
In 2021, Hideki Matsuyama played video games during a 78-minute weather delay in the third round only to then play his final eight holes in 6 under. From two behind to four in front, this delay and subsequent play, when the winds were down and Augusta National Golf Club was susceptible to birdies, was a springboard for Matsuyama's triumph.
Even Tiger Woods' historic 2019 run at the green jacket was altered due to weather. Final-round tee times were moved up due to impending storms and both Nos. 1 and 10 tees were used to send off the Sunday groupings.
Weather creating changes at the Masters
| Year | Round | Cause | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 2 | Lightning | Play suspended from 5:05 p.m. to 5:34 p.m. |
2019 | 4 | Impending storms | Tee times began at 7:30 a.m. with players grouped in threesomes using Nos. 1 and 10 tees |
2020 | 1 | Inclement weather | Play suspended from 7:35 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. |
2021 | 3 | Inclement weather | Play suspended from 3:57 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
2022 | 1 | Inclement weather | Start of play delayed from 8 to 8:30 a.m. |
2023 | 2 | Inclement weather | Play suspended from 3:07 p.m. to 3:28 p.m. and suspended for the day at 4:22 p.m. |
| 2023 | 3 | Heavy rains | Play suspended for the day at 3:15 p.m. |
