Weather Forecast Update, 3:15 a.m. The National Weather Service is reporting a 70 percent chance of rain Sunday, with thunderstorms “likely” come the afternoon:
A chance of showers, mainly between 9am and noon, then showers and thunderstorms likely after noon. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds. Cloudy, with a high near 72. West wind between 5 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. [Last updated May 17, 10 p.m.]
The Weather Channel is reporting a 40 percent chance of thundershowers at 10 a.m., the start of the ceremony. By noon, the chance of thundershowers increases to 70 percent, and by 1 p.m. the forecast is upgraded to thunderstorms.
Despite a chance of thunderstorms, Commencement remains scheduled for the Mall, according to a recording on the GW information line.
Original Post. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow morning’s Commencement cermony on the National Mall, and the University is preparing the Verizon Center as a back-up location in case of life-threatening weather.
GW spokesperson Tracy Schario said that the Verizon Center would have been prepared as a back-up location even if rain weren’t forecast, as is standard practice. Based on the weather, the University and the National Park Service – who oversees the Mall – will decide if it is safe to hold Commencement outside.
“Right now it looks like it will just be raining, but we’ll see what happens,” Schario said. If it is just raining, it will still be held on the Mall.
She doesn’t foresee the ultimate decision being made before tomorrow morning, but advises families to remember their tickets, which will be necessary if Commencement is moved indoors.
In preparation, Schario said she has been in contact with meteorologists for further weather updates, as well as with WTOP radio station to get the word out in the case of a location change. She said they have also prepared scripts for the GW information line (202-994-5050) and the Campus Advisories Web site, where students and families should look for information.
