UPDATED: NSI Gameday Weather 10/17/09 - ALCS Game 2 - Rain Will Likely Prevent The Game From Being Played

Post-Mortem Update (Sunday 10/18 - 2:00 PM): Many of you are probably wondering how a five-hour game was played without any problem when such dire forecasts such as Steve's were issued. Here is Steve's explanation:

You should thank your friends in Boston! Well, not the people, but the high pressure over New England had strengthen due to an under-forecasted jet streak around Quebec. The high got stronger, thus pushing drier (relatively) air into the Bronx, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut, and northern New Jersey. The result in the end kept much of the rain south of Yankee stadium and over central New Jersey, were the rain was persistent and heavy all night.

Whatever the reason, I think we're all pretty happy that the game was played.

Update (5:30 PM): Steve is still very pessimistic about the chances of playing baseball in the Bronx tonight:

So far no changes to the forecast. Rain will continue to spread through the Bronx and become heavy at times.

Taking a look at the radar below, Steve is right. It doesn't look good. A delay at the onset of this game is pointless. MLB needs to decide whether they should risk starting the game with the high possibility of not being able to finish, or just postpone it. The conditions are only going to worsen, so a delay will be the wrong call. As it turns out, both managers and MLB will meet about the weather at 7 PM, according to Sam Borden.

Update (2:45 PM): Earlier today, during his chat, Steve mentioned the following that could be a gleam of hope for tonight's game being played:

If I was MLB right now, I'd pray for a STRONG mesoscale banding over northern New Jersey so the sinking air will kill precipitation over the Bronx. Otherwise, this weekend is not going to be favorable for baseball.

He further elaborated with the following:

If that banding develops, and I'm not saying that it 100% will, but if it does, then there is a chance (say 15%) that the rain will be light enough to play through this evening. The heavier and more concentrated the rain develops over northeastern New Jersey, the better chance for this to happen in the Bronx.

As of now, the rain still isn't pushing into the NYC area. The coastal storm is still expected to get cranking and dump rain on the Bronx, but until it does so, baseball will be played as planned. From reading Steve's comments above, there is at least a chance. We wouldn't feel comfortable lowering the postponement or delay status from "high," but there is a better chance of playing this game than there was this morning.

Previous post follows:

As expected, the lull between the two early season Nor'Easters allowed the Yankees to take a 1-0 ALCS lead on Friday night. Unfortunately, the rain returns today and will most likely cause a weather postponement for ALCS Game 2. On hand as always is Steve DiMartino of NYNJPAWeather.com with the official forecast:

A strong coastal low is developing off the Delaware coast this afternoon and will move through the New Jersey coastal waters tonight. This coastal low is going to produce moderate to heavy rain over the Bronx tonight with a strong northeast wind around 15 to 30 mph with higher gusts. Temperatures will be in the lower 40’s.

Game Delay Potential: HIGH: I can already see how MLB will try to play this, expect a lengthy delay as the rain rolls into the Bronx.

Game Postponement:HIGH: The rain will only get heavier as the evening continues. The combination of heavy rain and strong winds will likely prevent this game from being played.

If you are traveling to the game, it would behoove you to keep abreast of the situation all day. We will try to update when necessary but this is probably one of the easiest postponements to predict of the entire season. If we were traveling from outside of the 5 boroughs, we probably wouldn't bother heading to the game.

Hopefully the rain will subside by the end of the weekend, and the word is that the potential makeup game would be in the late afternoon on Sunday . However, some weather models are indicating that the rain is going to stick around all day on Sunday as well, putting that makeup time at risk. An ALCS weather nightmare is upon us and we'll just have to hope it doesn't affect the Yankees chances to advance to the World Series.

In other news, we forgot to post Steve's wind map in yesterday's game day weather post. As it turns out, his wind prediction was spot on and actually affected the game. Vlad Guerrero and Robinson Cano both had home runs taken away from them by the strong winds that were blowing in. If by some miracle, tonight's game is played, the winds will be similar:

Read the full post, after the jump

Angels Rain Out From May 3 Rescheduled For September 14

As we predicted way back on May 3, the rained out game between the Yankees and Angels will be made up on a mutual off day on September 14 at 7:05 PM.

There should be an interesting crowd for this one. The original crowd likely had many Sunday plan holders, so a Monday evening game might not be the easiest for those fans to get to. Therefore, we'd expect the secondary ticket market to be ripe for the picking, even though the game will feature two playoff contenders in the midst of a pennant race.

We'll be there, and instead of having Audi Yankees Club access for that May 3 early afternoon day game, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy another delicious, all you can eat dinner (by paying $65, of course).

But that leads us to the question of what happens to people who had the seated tickets in the Audi Yankees Club? If you forked over the $140 for the seat and the meal, you likely enjoyed a meal on May 3, and then had to suffer through the disappointment of the postponement. Now, the game has been rescheduled for September 14, and those tickets will still be valid. How will the Yankees prevent them from getting another free meal? I don't see any way that they can. If anyone can shed some light on this, please leave a comment. Read the full post, after the jump

UPDATED: Yankees vs. Angels Postponed Sunday May 3, 2009 No Makeup Date Scheduled

Update (3:55 PM): Just getting to this now, because we were actually at the game. Obviously, it was postponed. No official makeup date has been announced, but here is the official word from the Yankees:

TODAY'S YANKEES-ANGELS GAME AT YANKEE STADIUM POSTPONED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER; RESCHEDULED DATE YET TO BE DETERMINED

The New York Yankees announced that today's game between the Yankees and Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium has been postponed due to inclement weather. A date for the rescheduled game is yet to be determined.

Fans holding paid tickets for the May 3 postponed game may use them for the rescheduled game between the Yankees and Angels or exchange their paid tickets for any regular season game at Yankee Stadium within 12 months of the postponed game (subject to availability).

Tickets can be exchanged at Yankee Stadium Advance Ticket Windows only (open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and until two (2) hours after the scheduled start time of any regularly scheduled home game).

Complimentary tickets (COMP) or equivalent tickets bear no cash value and cannot be exchanged or redeemed for any benefits that may be offered to ticket(s) with a dollar value.

Now, lets just hope tomorrow night's game against Boston can be played! Unfortunately, more rain is in the forecast. Steve from NYNJPAWeather.com is now 2 for 2 in game day predictions of postponements. Be sure to check out his website for all of your weather needs. You can check out the original prediction if you

We were going to keep updating the previous weather post, but with this news, it was worth a new post.

In what is sure to cause a scheduling conundrum, it looks as though the Yankees and Angels are going to be washed out today due to steady rain in the forecast. Lets get the latest from Steve DiMartino of NYNJPAWeather.com:

A rainy day is expected in the Bronx with periods of rain through the afternoon and into the evening hours. Winds will veer from the southeast to northeast around 5 to 15 mph. Temperatures will rise slightly from this morning with game time temperatures between 59 and 63. Certainly not the best conditions for baseball. At the very least there should be a lengthy delay with logic dictating a postponement

The only logical day for a makeup game if today's game is rained out would be on September 14 in New York. Both teams are off that day, and the Angels would be heading from Anaheim to Boston anyway. Sure, it is not the ideal situation, but it is the only time that makes sense, especially since the 14th is scheduled to be the Yankees second off day in a five day stretch.

This is the Angels' one and only trip to the Bronx this year, and the Yankees won't want to give up a home game at their new stadium to play the game in Anaheim during one of their two trips out there. One of the Yankees' trips to Anaheim falls right before the All-Star Game, so the teams would have to play a makeup game out in Anaheim on the day of the home run derby, since neither team has an off day before the series. The off day after the Yankees/Angels series in September has the Yankees traveling to Boston, and the Angels staying home to face the A's, so it is unlikely they would fly back to NY that day to play the game. Theoretically the teams could play the Yankees' home game in Anaheim on that day, but then the Yankees would not have a travel day before heading to Boston and also would lose the home game.

There isn't much more of a nightmare scenario for a home team than games getting rained out during an opponent's one and only trip to the stadum. The Yankees were lucky when the Angels' fellow West Coast team the A's had a rainout in the Bronx a couple of weeks ago because the A's make another trip to the stadium this year. It seems like the Yankees make two trips to Anaheim every year, so the luck ran out with this potential rainout.

Once again, we'd like to curse the baseball Gods for giving the Mets 90 degrees and sunny for their second home stand, and the Yankees the threat of rain every single day. Hopefully the Yankees won't have any more postponements against the Red Sox or Tampa Bay Rays, although those would be easier to make up.

Keep an eye on the official Yankees.com update page, and expect lengthy delays, as the Yankees will do all they can to try to squeeze this one in. The radars do not paint a pretty picture:

Read the full post, after the jump