Team Weather Playbook

Chicago Cubs Weather Playbook: Wrigley Wind Is the Whole Story

By Kevin Roth, sports meteorologist. How weather affects the Chicago Cubs at home and on the road.

Home advantage

Wrigley Field is the most wind-susceptible park in the majors. Southwest wind at 15 mph turns Wrigley into a bandbox where fly balls carry to the bleachers. Northeast wind at 15 mph produces some of the lowest-scoring baseball anywhere. The lake keeps early-season wind cool and holds carry down into late May.

Division road environments

NL Central road trips into Great American Ball Park hitter-friendly Cincinnati, Milwaukee retractable, PNC Park Pittsburgh river wind, and Busch Stadium St. Louis heat. Cincinnati's built-in home run profile is the closest match to Wrigley in warm wind.

For DFS and bettors

Wind direction and speed at Wrigley moves total lines 1.5 to 2 runs by itself. Read direction from field-level ASOS at Meigs Field or Midway for the tightest reads. Wrigley wind is the highest-leverage single-park weather signal in baseball.