If you’ve been watching the KPRC 2 Weather Team this week you know the forecast for the Astros opening day. In case you’ve missed it, here it is and the roof will be closed.
It’s warm and muggy to start the season. But how does this compare to other Houston Astros opening days? I will tell you this is one of the warmer ones. Here’s a deep dive on temperatures, rain and humidity. And for a bonus how often opening day has the roof open.
⚾ Astros Home Openers (Since 1970)
- Temperature: Usually mild to warm (rarely cold, occasionally hot.) Temperatures consistently run near 80°, which is very Houston for late March and April.
- Rain: Spring pattern which can bring scattered showers, but many dry days.
- Trend: Recent years skew warmer.
🌡️ Temperatures:
🔥 Warmest Home Opener
- 90°
- Date: April 6, 1984
Coolest Home Opener
- 49°
- Date: April 10, 1973
The 1970s were a cold decade in Houston and a strong cold front brought the coldest opening day temperature on record. Nearly the entire month of April 1973 was cold.
🌧️ Rain:
Since 1970 - 13 home openers have had measurable rain. The exact percentage is 23%.
⚾ Opening day weather since 2021:
| Year | Date | Opponent | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Rain (in) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mar 27 | Mets | 79 | 64 | 0.00 | Warm, humid |
| 2024 | Mar 28 | Yankees | 78 | 63 | 0.00 | Beautiful day |
| 2023 | Mar 30 | White Sox | 83 | 68 | 0.00 | Warm & muggy |
| 2022 | Apr 18 | Angels | 71 | 60 | 0.12 | Rainy |
| 2021 | Apr 8 | Athletics | 83 | 69 | 0.00 | Warm & breezy |
To open or close the roof:
That is the question... and Astros history has a unique answer.
1) Early era (2000–2005)
- The Astros were much more willing to open the roof.
- The roof was open 5 out of 6 opening days.
2) Post-2005 shift
- After 2005, organizational philosophy changed:
- AC comfort
- noise advantage
- The roof was closed every year on opening day except for 2021!
I remember the forecast March 28, 2024. It was near perfect! Temperature for the first pitch was 78° against the Yankees. I remember saying on TV, “Of course the roof is going to be open.” Boy was I wrong. The roof was closed.
Dew point/humidity the hidden story:
The Astros have a hard to find guideline that the roof should be closed if the dew point is above 55°. It honestly doesn’t feel humid or muggy until the dew point gets to 62° in Houston. But here’s something to watch, Saturday’s dew point in Houston will be around 55° for the first pitch at 6:10 with a first pitch temperature of 74°. This is because a dry cold front moves through Friday night. Will the roof be open Saturday? What do you think?
I’d love to see your opening day pictures. Please share them with my by going to www.click2pins.com.