Cubs' Opening Day 2026 weather forecast at Wrigley Field: temperature, rain and hail chances

The Chicago Cubs hosting Opening Day at Wrigley Field is always a special sight. Of course, it's also become problematic. As baseball has pushed up the start of the regular season to the final week of March, Wrigley Field's weather can be unpredictable. In past years, Cubs fans have seen sunshine, clouds, rain, and snow. This year, as the Cubs get set to play the Washington Nationals, the Wrigley Field faithful may experience hail.

Temperature-wise, the high is forecasted to be 63 degrees, but the problem is that a cold front is approaching Chicago. Around 1:20, the temperature is expected to be around 50 degrees and only drop from there. By Friday, the expected temperatures in the Wrigleyville area are 39 degrees.

Given the dramatic dip in temperature expected, the National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Thursday. Thunderstorms are forecasted to arrive in the afternoon, and with that comes the chance of hail. But, this isn't the ordinary hail you might be thinking of.

Cubs Opening Day weather forecast might create a wild experience at Wrigley

National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Doom said the size of the hail could approach two inches.

“If you take one of those to the noggin, it certainly could do some decent damage. Definitely won’t be caught outside with two-inch hail,” he said. 

As of now, the game is expected to start on time. The thunderstorms with a chance of hail are expected to arrive in the area around 3 pm. Meaning, given the low-scoring nature of games at Wrigley Field in late March, there's a chance that a healthy amount of Thursday's game is completed before a potential delay.

The Wrigley Field weather forecast for Opening Day is a reminder that the automatic off day that is scheduled after the first game of the regular season in Chicago is a necessary evil.

It can be annoying for fans to go a day without baseball after being teased on Opening Day, but the off day is needed. Not just because fans need to step away from the ledge after overreacting to a win or loss, but because the day may need an immediate makeup game.

Of course, if you're headed to Wrigley Field, before to keep an eye on the weather updates as the system makes its way through Chicago. It could be a long Opening Day for the bleacher bums.