Bonnaroo weather safety: What you need to know

Yahoo

a day ago

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tens of thousands of music fans are expected to descend on Manchester, Tennessee, this week. Bonnaroo begins on Thursday, June 12, and runs through Sunday.
Many of the thousands attending the festival will be sleeping outside in tents, and this is why the National Weather Service in Nashville is watching the forecast closely.
According to Ryan Husted, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Nashville, they are working with local emergency management offices and giving them forecast briefings with the latest weather information.
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Husted said it seems like every year the festival is impacted by the weather. He said in 2024, it was the heat, humidity, and a couple of thunderstorms. With so many people essentially living outside, it doesn't take a powerful storm to cause a lot of problems.
'It wouldn't take wind speeds that high to start causing some sort of damage and potentially striking people. So, the impacts could be high, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a severe thunderstorm or tornado,' Husted told News 2.
Husted said he doesn't expect any extreme heat this year, but there could be some thunderstorms, especially on Saturday and Sunday. He said if a thunderstorm is going to impact Manchester, the safest place to go is your car.
'My advice is going to be to get in your vehicle. When there are damaging winds in the area and even lightning, without many substantial shelters around and so many people in the area, my advice is going to be to get in your vehicle,' Said Husted.
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Even though it isn't expected to be that hot, Husted said it's important to stay hydrated and to take breaks in the shade. He said sunburn can be a big problem, and to remember to wear sunscreen and where light colored clothing.
The News 2 Weather Authority team is forecasting low rain chances on Thursday and Friday and medium rain chances for the weekend.
Temperatures are forecast to be in the mid and upper 80s with elevated humidity.
Right now, it doesn't look like there will be any severe weather, but like Husted said, it doesn't take much wind to pick up and blow around tents, chairs, and umbrellas.
Don't forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.
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