Preakness Stakes Weather Forecast: Firm Track Expected at Pimlico

After yet another washout of a Kentucky Derby, horse racing fans are probably happy to see the forecast for this weekend's Preakness Stakes.

Though there is a slight chance of a late-day shower or thunderstorm in the Baltimore area, the weather should be splendid for the festivities at Pimlico.

After a wet Sunday and Monday, Baltimore has been dry for most of the week. For those of you watching Friday's Black Eyed Susan Stakes, expect to see quite similar conditions on Saturday.

The forecast calls for a high temperature right around 80 degrees with partly cloudy conditions. Given the lack of recent precipitation, the track should be dry and firm unless a pop-up shower moseys its way over Pimlico.

Starting around 5 p.m. ET, there's between a 15% and 20% chance of rain. If a cell does indeed hit the track, it will likely last for only a brief while. However, some of the cells that do pop up could bring some downpours.

Considering how there's only a 15%-20% chance of rain and only a portion of those storms will bring heavy rains, we're talking about a 20-1 longshot that the track is doused with H2O right before the race, which will take place about 12 minutes before 7 p.m.

Expect dry conditions, but know that a muddy track isn't entirely impossible. Either way, the track will certainly look nothing like Churchill Downs did a couple of weeks ago in what was a messy race in every sense of the word.