Ominous dark clouds may lead to a soggy Panorama Fest

This week has been a wild ride for Panorama Festival ticket holders tracking the weather. While dark clouds and rain drops have been consistently predicted for the three-day festival, the meteorologists couldn’t settle on when those storms would hit. Before you leave the house or office to check out Solange, Frank Ocean or one of the other must-see Panorama acts, here’s where the weather stands.

As you may recall, the week began with promises of rain on Friday, threatening to ruin performances from the stacked opening day line-up, which in addition to the previously mentioned Knowles and Ocean includes Tyler the Creator, MGMT and Future Islands. Luckily, we’ve made it to the big day and, while there are no guarantees, the dark skies forecasted for later in the afternoon and evening only come with a “slight chance” of rain until late, and some very sticky, heavy humidity.

Unfortunately, it seems that those ominous clouds are waiting until Saturday to dump water all over your fun, when Tame Impala, Belle & Sebastian, Nick Murphy and more are scheduled to perform. Not only are storms predicted for the morning, but there’s also currently a gale watch in effect for the New York Harbor from Saturday's early hours through the evening.

If heavy rain does come, keep in mind that Randalls Island can become something of a messy slip ‘n slide. During the 2013 Governors Ball, the soggy weather turned the East River oasis into a full-blown swamp. In other words: Don’t rock any clothes you don’t want covered in mud and wear shoes appropriate for sludge trudging. Also, be aware that umbrellas are not permitted at the festival, so bring a poncho or rain jacket if you want to keep your hair dry. 

Panorama Fest is at Randalls Island Park (panorama.nyc). Fri 28–Sun 30; $125 general admission, $345 three-day pass.