Golfers and people watching this week's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla likely won't face gale-force winds that hook tee shots off fairways or cloudbursts that send galleries scrambling.
What they can expect are the challenges of June gloom.
The challenges can be subtle. And while the gloom may depress the locals, it isn't likely to faze the likes of Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods or Vijay Singh.
Still, weather could play a subtle yet significant role in the tournament.
Golf balls are 1.68 inches in diameter and weigh a maximum of 1.62 ounces. With a sphere that small, it doesn't take a big swing in the weather to alter its flight or roll. Relatively minor shifts in conditions may make little difference to the average weekend duffer, but to the world's top pros, knowing what the weather will do to a golf ball can be vital.
“When it's damp and wet, it makes it a longer course,” said Joe DeBock, Torrey Pines' head golf pro.
Rain slows the ball in flight, reduces the bounce on the fairways and makes the rough heavy and hard to hit out of. It also makes the greens slower, which players can use to their advantage.
Last Wednesday's rain was a rarity. San Diego got 0.02 of an inch of rain the last eight Junes combined.
The National Weather Service doesn't expect another drizzly episode during the tournament. Forecasters predict gloomy, overcast skies tomorrow and Wednesday mornings. But if conditions develop as expected, the gloom could be doomed by the time the tournament begins Thursday.
“It's looking like spectacular golf weather,” said Mark Moede, a National Weather Service forecaster.
Clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s are predicted for the coast. Moede cautioned that it is too early to say with confidence how the weekend will turn out.
Even a seemingly benign weather scenario can force golfers to make adjustments through the day.
If the dreary, sunless June gloom returns and lasts all day, teeing off in the morning or afternoon would make little difference. But a sea breeze in the afternoon often temporarily breaks up the gray.
The breeze from the west generally isn't strong; it's usually in the 8-to 13-mph range. But it's enough to create a tail wind on some holes, giving players with afternoon tee times a slight advantage, DeBock said. Once clouds clear, balls tend to roll farther because heat from the sun makes the ground harder.
A coastal eddy, a kind of counter-clockwise swirl of clouds and air that sometimes kicks up off Southern California in the spring, also could challenge the golfers. Moede, who plays the course frequently, said an eddy would cause south or southeast wind on some holes.
Weather patterns not only affect the golfers. They also can have unexpected consequences for the thousands of spectators. Many don't realize they can suffer sunburn and skin damage, even if the sun never comes out.
“Up to 80 percent of of UV rays can still penetrate through clouds,” said Brian Jiang, a dermatologist at UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest. “The important message is, we have to apply sunscreen.”
Robert Krier: (619) 293-2241; rob.krier@uniontrib.com
