2017 London Marathon: Dry weather, light winds to greet runners
High pressure building into the United Kingdom this weekend will foster dry weather for the 37th running of the London Marathon.
While start times begin at 8:55 BST (3:55 a.m. ET), the mass race will begin at 10:00 BST (5:00 a.m. ET).
This year will be a milder race compared to last year when the temperature peaked at 10.6 C (51 F) after the race was finished.
Seasonable conditions are forecast with temperatures rising from 9 C (48 F) at the start of the event to near 17 C (62 F) by the middle of the afternoon.
“The majority of runners tend to favor cooler weather around 50-55 F (10-13 C) with low humidity,” said Runner's World Chief Running Officer Bart Yasso.
The lowest temperature ever recorded at Heathrow International Airport during the marathon is 5.3 C (41.5 F) while the highest is 22.2 C (72.0 F), according to the Met Office.
"Most people will be happy with a little cloud coverage to block out the sun in your face and low wind, so you don’t have another obstacle to deal with," said Brian Dalek, digital editor at Runner's World.
The area of high pressure will also shield the United Kingdom from any storm systems allowing light winds to hold throughout the day. Winds will shift from southwest to west at 4-8 mph (6-12 km/h).
Despite the relatively tranquil weather, there will be widespread cloud during the afternoon which will be welcomed by many of the runners.
While the London Marathon may grab more headlines, another popular running event is also planned for Sunday.
The Great Edinburgh Run will give participants a variety of options ranging from the Family Mile and Toddler Dash to a 5-mile and 10-mile run.
Temperatures will climb from 5 C (41 F) at the start of the events to 13 C (55 F) during the afternoon.
Plenty of cloud will be overhead during the day ahead of a cold front that will usher in a chilly and unsettled weather pattern for early next week.
"It may turn cold enough for the showers to become wintry early next week, especially across the northern U.K.," AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.
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