In the wake of Hurricane Ida’s devastation in Louisana and its continued path inland, and with the tragic flood in nearby Waverly still fresh in our mind, it’s hard to look at any weather forecast with positivity at this moment. However, for the tens of thousands of Tennesseans and beyond who will soon be descending upon Manchester for Bonnaroo, we, of course, want a dry and safe weather weekend. Despite some fallout from Ida the next few days (which we sincerely hope won’t significantly exacerbate Middle Tennesee’s flood woes), likely making for a wet and muddy festival site, the Thursday-Sunday forecast for the main event, as it stands at this moment, is looking miraculously good.
Bear in mind, we’re not meteorologists (we suggest you follow this Bonnaroo-specific weather Twitter account run by people who are), and anyone from Middle Tennesee knows how swiftly weather can change, especially when a hurricane’s path is a factor, so don’t take today’s forecast as gospel, and be sure to check regularly for the latest info. However, as it stands, here’s what Bonnaroo weekend has in store in Manchester, according to hyperlocal weather app Dark Sky, as of this evening.
Yep, that’s right! Low chance of rain, manageable daytime temps with cloud cover, and some downright crisp nights. Please knock on wood that this holds.
However, that cautiously optimistic news is not without a caveat. Unfortunately, as Ida, now a Tropical Depression, moves its way through Tennesee, the Bonnaroo grounds will get extremely wet tomorrow and potentially through Wednesday, a situation the Bonnaroo weather team is actively monitoring. This year was meant to be the start of a new “Daily Entry” system, where camping and parking passes now have assigned entry days, meant to stagger arrivals and cut down on traffic, which would’ve begun tomorrow. In the face of the latest forecast, however, Bonnaroo has opted to push opening the grounds to Wednesday, pending inspection, and has asked all Tuesday pass holders to enter on Wednesday instead. Fingers crossed for better Wednesday weather, or we could face another long and slow entry process on Thursday. If, for some reason, you need to visit the Bonnaroo box office, it will still be open on Tuesday.
As we said, be sure to check your own weather sources, local weather monitoring accounts, and Bonnaroo’s official social media accounts for the latest and most up-to-date information. We hope to see you, and dry and sunny weather, soon on the farm!