Love Weather

Written by Dr. Mel

Monday, 22 August 2005

A quiet week of weather for tennis? I remember making that declaration a week before the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament began this year, and as soon as I said that, I wanted to erase those words from the universe of thought. It wasn’t because the weather looked as though it would suddenly change, it's just that I have a history of rough and tumble forecasts during the week that brings a lot of focus to Connecticut. And now, the Buick Championship takes place during the same week. If there were ever a time for the weather to perform a public service and hold back its natural August inclination, this would be it. So far, things have been working out, but it is a week of great stress for anyone who thinks being a weather person insures a job for life no matter how many times you are wrong. For me, it started in 1991 when the Pilot Pen was sponsored by Volvo, and the tournament was a male only event. I was asked to give some weather forecasts to organizers of the event, and it was the first tournament being held in Connecticut. And wouldn’t you know it? Hurricane Bob was approaching, but it did hold off until the very end, and the main problem was breaking down the tents and displays before they all were blown away. See, the problem with tennis played on a hard court is that a single drop of rain, or mist, can make for treacherous footing, and play needs to be suspended for even something as slight as drizzle. Then, there is the August humidity which hampers the drying of the courts and prevents the resumption of play even after the drizzle is long gone. And of course, there are the downpours which only August can make famous, thanks to the clash of tropical weather circulations and the cooler ones of fall….and let's not forget the blistering heat which can come along and buckle and blister the courts. During these 15 years, we have seen it all, and there were years when it seemed that the weather, itself, would ruin the tournament forever. It has had a notorious weather reputation, and the pressure involved with trying to get the forecast correct is somewhere in the stratosphere. So, when I saw the projections last week, I thought that something wasn’t right – it looked just too good. And, sure enough, what appeared as a potentially perfect week suddenly began to show a few signs of weakness, but then those threats of rain did back down. This has probably been the best week for outdoor events in August during my decade and a half on the tournament forecast seat. But my neighbors still tell me that their tomatoes need some real rain. I better be quiet before a few get lobbed my way during today's finals.

 

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