Rocky Run 2026 forecast: Sub-freezing wind chill for Philly race morning
PHILADELPHIA - Around 40,000 runners heading to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the sold-out 2026 Rocky Run on Saturday, Nov. 14, will need to bundle up before they hit the pavement.
According to FOX 29 meteorologists, chilly air and brisk winds will greet participants and spectators gathered in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art early Saturday morning. While the course will stay dry, wind chills will sit below freezing when the first runners take off.
RELATED | Rocky Run 2026: Race times, packet pickup and Philly road closures
Race-day hourly forecast
Timeline:
Temperatures will start out cold as runners arrive for early gear check and race-day packet pickup, gradually warming only a few degrees by the time the final finishers cross the line:
- 6 a.m.: Temperatures sit at 38 degrees as pre-race preparations get underway. Sunrise follows at 6:44 a.m.
- 7 a.m. (5K start): Temperatures hold at 38 degrees, with the wind chill dropping to 28 degrees as the 5K begins.
- During the race: Skies will feature a mix of sun and partial clouds as the 10 Mile gets underway at 8 a.m.
- 10 a.m.: Temperatures rise to 42 degrees under mostly cloudy skies, with a wind chill of 33 degrees.
Nor’easter impacts (FOX Weather)
How to prepare for the cold
Why you should care:
Because the wind chill will feel like the upper 20s at the 7 a.m. starting horn, FOX 29 meteorologists recommend that both runners and spectators dress in layers for the cold.
Runners waiting in the starting corrals before the 7 a.m. 5K or 8 a.m. 10 Mile may want throwaway outer layers or gloves to stay warm before body heat kicks in, while spectators lining the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Kelly Drive should plan for winter-like wind chills through mid-morning.
Race times and road closures
Local perspective:
Both the 5K and 10 Mile start and finish in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with runners competing in the 13.1 Italian Stallion Challenge completing both races back-to-back.
Rocky Run 2026 Medals (Photo: Run Mfg, Inc.)
Drivers and spectators heading into Center City should also plan around extensive street closures beginning at 3 a.m. along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Spring Garden Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, with additional closures expanding through Fairmount Park and Kelly Drive at 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Multiple SEPTA bus routes—including routes 7, 32, 38, 43, 48 and 49—will also operate on detours starting at 4 a.m.
The Source: This article was written using forecast data from FOX 29 meteorologists and race information previously reported by FOX 29 Philadelphia.