Opening Day of the 2025 Major League Baseball season is Thursday,and while there isn't a major storm on the weather map like we've had in recent weeks,there are a few games that could be impacted.
There are 14 games Thursday and one other opener scheduled for Friday. Nine of those 15 games will be played outdoors in stadiums without retractable roofs. The other six have options to close the roof if the weather isn't optimal.
Let's break down these games by potential weather impacts.
(MORE:Opening Day's Most Extreme Weather In History)
Most Concern:St. Louis
The latest forecasts are indicating a chance of showers,possibly thundershowers,Thursday afternoon in St. Louis,where the Cardinals are scheduled to host the Minnesota Twins.
While we don't expect soaking rain over the St. Louis metro,these showers could be enough to trigger at least a brief rain delay. If you're headed to the game,bring rain gear just in case it rains as you're walking to the stadium or you're in the stands and a shower develops.
And if lightning is detected near Busch Stadium,heed any public address announcements and move to the safety of the concourse.
(FORECAST:St. Louis)
Other Midwest Shower Chances
Three other Midwest games may have hit-or-miss showers close by on Thursday,including in Chicago (Angels vs. White Sox),Cincinnati (Giants vs. Reds) and Kansas City (Guardians vs. Royals).
So if you're headed to those games,you may want to bring rain gear just in case any showers pop up.
Otherwise,temperatures at each of these games should be reasonable for late March. That's especially true in Kansas City,where warm winds should push the temperature well into the 70s.
Roof Closed?
There are a few games where having a closed roof may be a good idea Thursday.
First,despite having the roof opened a record early date of April 12 two years ago,it will probably be chilly enough to keep the roof of Toronto's Rogers Centre closed for the Blue Jays opener against the Baltimore Orioles.
A threat of rain could also prompt roof closures in Arlington (Red Sox vs. Rangers),Houston (Mets vs. Astros) and Seattle (Athletics vs. Mariners).
Seasonably Cool
The two Opening Day games in the Northeast in the Bronx (Brewers vs. Yankees) and Washington,D.C. (Phillies vs. Nationals) will be a tad breezy and seasonably cool,but not too bad considering it's still late March. A light jacket or hoodie may be all you need in what could feel more like October baseball.
No Worries
The traditional pregame opening of the Chase Field roof in Phoenix (Cubs vs. Diamondbacks) is back in 2025,and weather won't be any obstacle to that on Thursday evening.
There are zero weather concerns in Southern California for the openers of the host L.A. Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
LoanDepot Park in Miami should have its roof open without any concerns about rain (Pirates vs. Marlins).
And on Friday,the Tampa Bay Rays will host the Colorado Rockies in their Opening Day,but outdoors at Steinbrenner Field,after Tropicana Field's roof was heavily damaged during Hurricane Milton.
Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at www.weathernow24.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky,X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
