London 2012 Olympics Weather Forecast: Expect Rain to Play Big Role in Games

The Summer Olympics are full of events that are meant to be played outside, preferably under sunny skies. The 2012 London Games appear reluctant to oblige.

Tennis fans have likely noticed how often the retractable roof has been closed at Wimbledon over the last two weeks. There have been frequent weather-related delays, and the Met office (The United Kingdom's national weather forecaster) is predicting more of the same for the coming month.

Rain isn't exactly rare in London this time of year. 

The average August in London receives just under two inches of rain. London just set a record for the wettest June on record, and July is off to a wet start.

Many events won't be impacted by the rain. Swimming, diving, basketball and gymnastics all compete indoors. 

However, track and field events can quickly change in the rain. Field sports like hockey, rugby sevens (demonstration sport until 2016) and football/soccer become different, and sailing can be downright dangerous in poor weather.

Beach volleyball is one of the events that would be most impacted by weather. Even though players are accustomed to dealing with "the third player," rain and wind do take away some of the advantages of the better athletes.

The rain hardens the sand, making it easier to move around. This erodes the advantage of some of the better-conditioned athletes, and the hard surface can become painful for the competitors. Players have to become more mindful of moving and diving on the surface.

The ball also becomes heavier, impacting play and increasing the risk of injury to players. A wet volleyball can carry enough weight and force to break a nose.

The 2008 gold medal match was played in a downpour. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh still managed to defend their 2004 gold medal, but the match was closer than expected.

There is one other potential change to this sport should rain and cold be a factor.

Players are likely to shed their normal beach attire in favor of body suits. The sport might not be quite as popular with some spectators if the ladies aren't clad in their traditional bikinis. 

Many of the U.S. Olympic hopefuls are familiar with wet conditions and the issues inclement weather brings. Track and field trials are held in Eugene, Ore., where it is often wet in June.

Jarred Rome will return to the Olympics to compete in the discus.

Adam Nelson is a two-time Olympic silver-medalist in the shot put. However, he slipped and fell because of the rain in the preliminaries of the U.S. trials and will miss the 2012 Games.

Rain during track events could certainly hurt the sprinters. Their quick bursts ask a lot of leg muscles and they need to be loose and relaxed. Some sprinters have a harder time getting stretched in the rain, which can lead to hamstring pulls and other injuries.

Poor weather might actually be the biggest threat to a Jamaican sweep in the men's 100-meter dash.

Hurdlers could have an even bigger concern on the track. In addition to the aforementioned muscle concerns, they rely on their footing and fiercely regimented strides to get them over the hurdles. Full strides are problematic when it becomes slippery, and unprepared runners could have problems with their approach.

Jumpers will also struggle in wet conditions, be it the high jump, long jump or triple jump.

They have to adjust their approach, as their normal stride creates a concern with slipping. They also can't gain as much speed as normal, and footing becomes tenuous for their takeoff.

Defending world champion high jumper Jesse Williams almost missed making the American squad on a wet and slippery track at the U.S. Trials. He will remain in Oregon and practice in the rain to prepare for the potential conditions in London.

Many distance runners would actually embrace the conditions, as their prolonged events don't rely on extreme muscle exertion. Rather, they are conditioned runners whose biggest concerns are related to overheating and cramping in hot conditions.

Galen Rupp welcomes the rain, as he set a trials record in the rain-soaked 10,000-meters. "I'm from Oregon. I love running in this weather," Rupp said in a Sports Illustrated story. "It's good for my allergies. I was excited to see it was really raining."

The rain could pose a real threat to the four-legged Olympians.

The equestrian venue in Greenwich Park has undergone significant work to ensure the safety of the horses and their riders. Over 100 million thin but very deep holes had been drilled into the course in a plan to avoid standing water on the turf.

Slippery conditions are a threat to the horses and their riders, but organizers feel their preparations will lead to a safe course.

Danger will be the key to events being rescheduled. 

With the rain, there could also be lightning. With metal still present in many javelins and other field implements, it simply is too dangerous to compete in some situations.

Lightning is about the only condition that would cause beach volleyball nets to drop and postpone other events.

"The main thing is that we are used to it and we have planned accordingly," said Debbie Jevans, director of sport for the London Organizing Committee, via a Reuters story on MSNBC. "By definition, being British you have no choice but to prepare for the weather."

A big part of the preparation is having five dedicated meteorologists to help with forecasts and planning.

The efforts have also led to five different route options for the sailing events to be held at Weymouth on England's south coast. Rain and wind are part of sailing, but severe conditions can create unsafe conditions for competitors.

A test event at the BMX track revealed problems with standing water and dangerous conditions. The venue has received a cover and drainage has been improved to ensure there won't be an impact on the competition.

Test events in other sports have given organizers concerns regarding the spectator experience.

The high stands of the Riverbank arena, for example, are completely exposed to the elements. Those who attended the field hockey test sessions in May left wet and chilled.

Organizers responded by ordering 250,000 red, white and blue ponchos to be distributed should the rain fall.