Phillies Opening Day is here in Philadelphia. Here's the weather forecast for Citizens Bank Park
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It's finally here - Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park. There's been so much anticipation leading up to today, as the Phillies take on the Atlanta Braves, but Thursday's rain threw a bit of a wrench in those plans.
Thankfully, today we have plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures and most importantly, no rain. What we do have though, is the wind.
If you plan on tailgating, expect early afternoon temperatures to climb above 50 degrees, under sunny skies.
Before the first pitch at 3:05 p.m., winds will likely be sustained out of the northwest around 10-20 mph, with a few higher gusts. Once the game starts though, winds will start to pick up, with a few gusts over 35 mph.
If you're heading to the ballpark, hold those napkins a little tighter along with the food and drinks, otherwise, they'll go flying.
Speaking of the wind, those gusts will affect the game played. Strong wind poses a challenge for the players, making it tougher to hit it out of the park, especially left field. Players up to bat will be facing the northeast, so with a northwest wind, more drag will be on the ball, possibly deflecting it toward the right. Batters will need to hit the ball harder to make a home run in windy conditions such as this.
That said, if you can deal with the wind today, this Friday is shaping up to be a fantastic cap on the week.
Looking ahead: A few showers with a quick-moving system on Saturday, followed by a dry and mild Easter Sunday.