Little League World Series could see rain delays this weekend

Aug 25, 2023

The grounds crew at Volunteer Stadium in 2021 tries to pull the tarp onto the field during a downpour during the first inning of the game between Michigan and Texas at the Little League World Series at Volunteer Stadium. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Little League is no stranger to rain delays, and the possibility for more exists over the next couple of days, as the series heads for home plate.

“The next 24 to 36 hours is where there will be some showers and thunderstorms around, that’s but not atypical for late August, and not atypical for the Little League World Series,” said Bill Gartner, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

“There could be a few sprinkles, but nothing too significant,” Gartner said. “There’s going to be a frontal system moving through tonight, which will bring an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms, mostly late this evening into the overnight. So any games played today shouldn’t be impacted.”

Garter said that today will be a “showery, rainy day with the potential for some thunderstorms and heavy rain during the day and early Saturday.”

Rainfall amounts will average half an inch to an inch, “but if you get a heavier thunderstorm, you could get an inch and a half, up to two inches in some spots,” Gartner said.

And, while Gartner reminds that “any storm always has the potential for some nasty winds,” the risk for widespread severe weather is low.

Gartner said, “Williamsport’s in the area that’s called a marginal risk. It’s a level one out of the five risk levels. There’s a little bit higher risk over State College, northwest up into southern Michigan and northern Ohio. So the main focus for any severe weather is going to be well to the west of Williamsport.”

As for the Championship games on Sunday, Gartner states, “as we go through the weekend, it looks fairly cool, and we’re back to dry weather.”

During the rainy days at Little League World Series, the grounds crew are there watching the weather, ready with their tarps if they are necessary.

Rob Guthrie, Little League turf and groundskeeper, said their jobs are much easier if they can get the tarp on the field before the rain starts.

Once the tarp is on the field, fans keep it inflated, which helps move the water so it isn’t as heavy to remove once the rain stops. It takes about eight grounds crew members to move the tarp. It can be done with as few as four or five people, but it makes it a lot harder, Guthrie said.

In July, the fields received about 8.5 inches of rain, which is double for an average July, he said. That required bringing the tarp out about a week and a half before the teams arrived to get everything ready for the Little League World Series.

There were a few showers that required the tarp early in the series, but they moved fairly quickly and it had been mostly dry since then, he said.

“It’s been a typical year,” Guthrie said.

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