2026 Kentucky Derby: Weather in Louisville not expected to be a factor during race
Will rain or frigid temperatures play a role in Saturday's Kentucky Derby?
There’s only one thing that can put a damper on the Kentucky Derby: Bad weather. Rain and frigid temperatures can create issues during the race, perhaps leading to unexpected results on the track. But those issues aren’t expected to play a role when the horses get into position during the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
While temperatures will be lower than normal in the morning and rain could crop up in the afternoon, things are supposed to be all clear by the time of the race. Temperatures in Louisville will start out in the 40s early in the day, but will steadily rise to about 58 degrees around 6:57 p. m.
ET, when the race is scheduled to start. While that shouldn’t present an issue, that’s a colder temperature than normal for May in Louisville. The average temperature during the Kentucky Derby is closer to 74 degrees, per Kentucky.
com. There is a 32-percent chance of rain Saturday, but it’s expected to occur at 2 p. m.