Weather could be a factor at Masters on Wednesday, Saturday

Masters Week will start off nice but then turn stormy Wednesday, and the end of the tournament could also see thunderstorms, at least on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Gusty winds could also bedevil players on those days.

Monday and Tuesday will be sunny and summerlike, with highs in the mid-80s, possibly reaching 86 on Tuesday, said Doug Anderson, a meteorological technician with the weather service office in Columbia. But then a cold front rolls in Wednesday, bringing some instability and likely showers, he said.

"There is a chance for a thunderstorm," Anderson said. There is a 70 percent chance of rain showers Wednesday during the day, which could threaten the Par-3 Contest.

But the Masters Tournament should see good weather for its start, he said.

"Basically, partly cloudy skies, nice weather with a high on Thursday of 68 and Friday up around 75 or so, so warming back up again," Anderson said. "But then unfortunately there is another front coming in over the weekend."

Saturday and Saturday night will likely see rain with some isolated thunderstorms, he said. Right now, there is a 50 percent chance of rain in the forecast, and the long-range forecast doesn't foresee that disruptive weather clearing out until around midday Sunday, Anderson said.

"It looks like that final weekend we are going to have some challenges," he said.

Wind could also be a factor on some days during the tournament. Assuming the rain doesn't cancel the Par-3, golfers could be dealing with gusty conditions out of the southwest Wednesday, with some as high as 25-30 mph. Anderson said. Then behind that front, the winds will shift north, "a little bit lighter but probably gusty, 20 to 25 mph," he said.

The winds will then pick up as that next front approaches, Anderson said.