Cheltenham Festival 2025: Weather Worries Cast Shadow Over Prestigious Racing Event
Event Overview |
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Cheltenham saw a dramatic shift in weather on Wednesday morning, just three days after the region basked in sunny weather and temperatures as high as 18C on Sunday. Parts of the UK experienced temperatures hotter than Barcelona and the Costa Del Sol over the weekend. However, the abrupt change in weather has sparked concerns about potential disruptions to the Cheltenham Festival, as snow coated the town’s racecourse overnight. Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing by the weekend, marking the end of what is often referred to as “fool’s spring.” |
The Ominous Crest on The Racecourse
Overnight Chills Are Expected to Continue
“Fool’s spring” refers to a period of warm weather quickly followed by a cold snap, which often occurs in March or April. Oli Claydon, a spokesman for the UK Met Office, said, “Some showers came through with lower overnight temperatures last night, causing precipitation to fall as snow. We’re expecting similar conditions over the next few days with showers continuing in the North East and Scotland. There’s also a front that moves through on Friday that could bring snow over widespread areas of Scotland, and we might see some wintry showers over the highest parts of Ireland.”
Behind-the-Scenes at Cheltenham Course
Clerk of the Cheltenham course Jon Pullin told ITV Racing on Wednesday, “It was very precautionary last night, as we were forecast a slight frost. It did dip down briefly to a minus two temperature, so we took some precautions on the take-offs and landings, just to make sure we’d be comfortable this morning. Temperatures are expected to rise to 7C by the time racing begins at 1.20pm, but overnight chills are expected to continue for the remainder of the festival. Thursday to Friday is looking quite cold again now, so we’ll see where we go, but it should be dry from here on in.”
Weather Outlook for the Festival
Date |
Expected Conditions |
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| Wednesday | Frost-covered racecourse, temperatures rising to 7C by 1.20pm |
| Thursday to Friday | Expected to be cold with potential for snow showers |
City Centre Snowfall Affecting Other Areas
Birmingham city centre also saw snow this morning, and the UK Met Office forecasts suggest areas of Cumbria and Yorkshire may also see light snow and hail before midday. The forecaster expects the rest of the week to be chilly with some overnight frost and icy patches tonight.