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Todd Armer was looking forward to some sun and Chicago Cubs baseball when he flew to the Valley from Chicago Tuesday.
He got the baseball, but it came during a stretch of cold, rainy days that has played havoc with spring-training schedules since Sunday, resulting in canceled or delayed Cactus League games. Armer said he did a double-take when he saw that the temperature in the Valley was not going to be much higher Tuesday than back home.
"I said, 'Wait a second. I'm getting on a plane to fly somewhere where it's only three degrees warmer than in Chicago?' " he said Tuesday evening from Sluggo's Sports Grill, a Mesa hangout for Cubs fans.
Tuesday's blustery weather reminded him of opening day at Wrigley Field. He said he was fine when he realized, "I'm not at work, I'm watching baseball, and I'm on vacation."
Arizona has been hit with unusually cold weather and more than the usual amount of rain and snow. Soggy weather forced seven rain-outs on Sunday in the Valley. No games were scratched Monday. At least three Tuesday games started late.
It should be a better day to go to the ballpark Wednesday. A low-pressure system was expected to clear the state and the day is supposed to be dry in the Valley at least until evening, with a high in the low 60s, the National Weather Service in Phoenix said. There's a chance of rain this evening, but temperatures are expected to be in the 70s this weekend.
The moist weather system dumped more snow in northern Arizona, but it was not expected to be a paralyzing storm. Flagstaff was due for scattered snow and fog Tuesday night, and there was a possibility of snow today.
Clear weather is a big deal for the Cactus League. Cactus League President Robert Brinton said Sunday's rainouts lost the league an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 in attendance, and $600,000 to $1 million in revenue, including ticket refunds, lost concession sales and lost parking income. The rainouts were the first for the league in four or five years.
He got the baseball, but it came during a stretch of cold, rainy days that has played havoc with spring-training schedules since Sunday, resulting in canceled or delayed Cactus League games. Armer said he did a double-take when he saw that the temperature in the Valley was not going to be much higher Tuesday than back home.
"I said, 'Wait a second. I'm getting on a plane to fly somewhere where it's only three degrees warmer than in Chicago?' " he said Tuesday evening from Sluggo's Sports Grill, a Mesa hangout for Cubs fans.
Tuesday's blustery weather reminded him of opening day at Wrigley Field. He said he was fine when he realized, "I'm not at work, I'm watching baseball, and I'm on vacation."
Arizona has been hit with unusually cold weather and more than the usual amount of rain and snow. Soggy weather forced seven rain-outs on Sunday in the Valley. No games were scratched Monday. At least three Tuesday games started late.
It should be a better day to go to the ballpark Wednesday. A low-pressure system was expected to clear the state and the day is supposed to be dry in the Valley at least until evening, with a high in the low 60s, the National Weather Service in Phoenix said. There's a chance of rain this evening, but temperatures are expected to be in the 70s this weekend.
The moist weather system dumped more snow in northern Arizona, but it was not expected to be a paralyzing storm. Flagstaff was due for scattered snow and fog Tuesday night, and there was a possibility of snow today.
Clear weather is a big deal for the Cactus League. Cactus League President Robert Brinton said Sunday's rainouts lost the league an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 in attendance, and $600,000 to $1 million in revenue, including ticket refunds, lost concession sales and lost parking income. The rainouts were the first for the league in four or five years.
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