Racing the weather: What's the forecast for Indy 500 for the rest of the day?

After a rain delay at the start time for the 2024 Indianapolis 500, the weather will likely cooperate for the rest of the afternoon Sunday and allow the race to begin.

Rain will end in the Indianapolis area over the next hour, National Weather Service in Indianapolis officials said around 2:30 p.m. Dry conditions are expected from late afternoon Sunday into the early evening, said Jason Puma, an NWS meteorologist.

There is a 60% chance of additional thunderstorms Sunday, but not until 8 p.m. or later, Puma said.

More: 'We're not leaving': Indy 500 fans wait out storm after IMS issues evacuation order

Racing fans were allowed to return to their seats in the grandstands just after 2 p.m. after a weather interruption that began around 11:15 a.m.

The race was originally scheduled for 12:45 p.m. but after the rain, officials will have to dry the track before the race can begin, a process that can take about two hours, IMS officials said. A new start time has not yet been set.

How do they dry the Indy 500 track?

An armada of trucks and powerful dryers circle the track to dry the 2.5-mile oval for as long as it takes to make surface race-worthy.

How long does it take to dry the Indy 500 track?

That varies. If rain and humidity have cleared out and the sun is shining, it can take about 90 minutes. However, if clouds and humidity linger, it can take much longer, perhaps 3 hours.

IMS President J. Douglas Boles said last week that Speedway officials have rented more powerful dryers from NASCAR and, after a rain delay during practice week, were able to dry the track in 77 minutes — perhaps the fastest they’ve ever dried the track.

IndyStar reporter Scott Horner contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy 500 weather: Dry conditions expected for several hours