Indy 500 weather report: Forecast calls for rain, thunderstorms Sunday at The Brickyard

The weather forecast for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 can best be described as iffy and at worse grim, with an 85% chance of rain throughout the day with thunderstorms.

That's unwelcome news for thousands of fans headed to the Brickyard for the 108th running of the Indy 500 and for driver Kyle Larson, as well. Larson is bidding to become the fifth driver to complete "The Double" by competing in the Indy 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 in the same day.

The Indy 500 is scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. ET, and the Coca-Cola 600 is slated to begin at 6 p.m. at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina. That doesn't leave much wiggle room for Larson if rain causes delays in Indianapolis.

The Indy 500 takes approximately three hours to complete with no delays, and the flight time from Indianapolis to Charlotte is estimated at 1 hour and 5 minutes.

Perhaps the best scenario would be an early call on postponement until Monday, which would allow Larson to complete the Coke 600 on Sunday night and then return to Indianapolis the next morning.

Betting on the Indy 500? Claim thousands of dollars in bonuses from top sportsbook apps ahead of Sunday's race here.

Sunday's Indianapolis weather forecast for Indy 500

Let's take a look at Sunday's weather forecast in Indianapolis as of Friday morning.

• High of 76 degrees
• Thunderstorms likely
• 85% chance of rain

That nasty forecast comes courtesy of The Weather Channel. The Indy 500 has been impacted by rain on several occasions dating back to the first running in 1911. A total of 101 (of 200) laps must be completed for the race to be declared as official. If fewer than 101 laps are completed, the race will resume the following day.

The Indy 500 has been shortened due to rain on eight occasions in its 113-year history, according to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The shortest race checked in at 102 laps in 1976. In 1973, the Indianapolis 500 started on Monday, and was postponed until Tuesday before finally concluding on Wednesday.

When was the last time the Indy 500 was impacted by rain? That came in 2007 when the race was halted twice due to rain and declared official after 166 laps. Dario Franchitti won the race after starting third.

More: Indy 500 odds, starting grid, predictions | Best sportsbook promos and bonuses for Indy 500

How to watch the 2024 Indy 500

• Date: Sunday, May 26
• Green flag: 12:45 p.m.
• Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Laps: 200
• Miles: 500
• TV channel: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock