Central Park, Oct 31–Nov 6: 61° and dry for the marathon, then the drives reopen into a 70° week

Two days of closures, then the park hands itself back under some of the best November weather you will see. Sunday is 61° and dry for the marathon — a correction to what I told you last week — and from Monday the drives are open into a stretch that reaches 70°.

Weather this week — and a correction

Today 58° and sunny. Sunday 61°, mostly sunny, 0% rain. Then 66°, 67°, 70°, 71° with showers Thursday, and storms likely Friday.

Last week I warned that 69° was warm for a marathon and said to drink earlier than felt necessary. The forecast has come down to 61° and dry. That is close to ideal racing weather and the warning no longer applies — if you are running Sunday, this is the day you would have ordered.

Sat Oct 31 — no road miles before 11

Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, 8:45–11 AM on the Ted Corbitt Loop, finish holding Grand Army Plaza from 8 AM.

Bridle path or the Reservoir if you need to move before 11. After that the loop is clear and it is 58° and sunny.

On foot: the North Woods woodland walk at 10 and the Conservatory Garden Tour at 11 are both well clear of the course.

Sun Nov 1 — the loop is gone 8 AM to 5 PM

55,000 runners under a clear 61° sky.

If you are racing: it is the forecast you wanted. If you are not, the loop is unavailable for nine hours and the Reservoir will be thick with spectators.

Go north. The Ravine, the Loch and the North Woods are nowhere near the course, and marathon Sunday is one of the quietest mornings of the year up there — the whole city’s attention is three miles south of you.

Mon Nov 2 – Wed Nov 4 — the drives are back, and it is 70°

The roads reopen Monday. The marathon’s build-out permit runs on paper to November 10, so expect trailers and fencing coming down across the west side through the week — but that is strike work, not closure. Nothing blocks a lap from Monday.

The weather is the story: 66°, 67°, then 70° on Wednesday, all dry. For November that is extraordinary, and the public calendar is effectively empty — a sports mini-camp Tuesday morning, a kids’ soccer session Wednesday afternoon.

Monday to Wednesday is the best riding and running left this year. Take all three if you can.

Thu Nov 5 – Fri Nov 6 — warm and wet

Thursday 71° with 49% showers; Friday 69° with thunderstorms likely at 58%. The warmest days are the wettest ones.

Friday morning before it breaks: Woodland Walk: The Ramble, 10 AM from Belvedere Castle.

Bird Watching with Birding Bob rotating: Loeb Boathouse this weekend and Thursday, Strawberry Fields Monday, Conservatory Garden Friday.

Steady all week

Bethesda Terrace and Fountain is closed all day, every day, and the permits have extended an eleventh time — now November 30. That is the entire month, ten weeks in, and still no stated reason anywhere.

Field permits are down to 66 for the week, 61 of them at North Meadow. The league season is ending, which means the lawns get quieter from here.

Quick recap

• Sunday is 61° and dry — last week’s 69° warning is withdrawn; this is ideal.
• Today: no road miles before 11. Dash 5K on the loop.
• Sunday: loop gone 8 AM–5 PM. Go north — the Ravine and Loch are empty.
• Monday the drives reopen into 66°, 67°, 70°. Best three days left this year.
• Thursday and Friday: warm and wet, storms likely Friday.
• Bethesda Terrace closed through November 30.

Enjoy the race, then take Monday, Central Park Guide