General view as Chicago Cubs crew remove condensation form the court during a delay between Nebraska and Missouri match at the Big Ten/SEC NCAA college Volleyball Challenge Week, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
It is not often that I write an article in real-time, but the spectacle happening at Wrigley Field Sunday evening is worthy. In what was supposed to be a celebration for the sport of volleyball, historic Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, hosted two outdoor volleyball matches on September 6. The matches were a part of a major SEC – Big Ten showdown with teams from Kentucky, Missouri, Penn State, and Nebraska competing. During the second match with No. 1 Nebraska and Missouri, several disruptions and two play stoppages happened due to a slippery floor. What’s going on?
Stickers are pulled off the court by officials during a match between Nebraska and Missouri as the court is wet due to condensation during a match at the Big Ten/SEC NCAA college Volleyball Challenge Week, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
What Happened?
“There’s no weather delay, but there’s still a delay as player safety is of the utmost importance in Wrigley Field,” noted the NCAA website during the game. As I watched the game with my wife and volleyball-playing daughter Arissa, the coaches were seen talking to each other. “The logos are being torn up off the court and the court is being wiped down to prevent players from slipping on the outdoor surface in Chicago. Everyone from the staffers to the players are helping to clean up the court,” The NCAA website continued in anticipation of continued play. I am a volleyball dad. My daughter played high-level club and high school volleyball for many years. I am also a meteorologist.
The match was paused for crews to wipe down the court. They even brought out what seemed to be blow dryers. Here’s the problem. Weather conditions are likely contributing to the moisture, and it will continue. In fact, it is likely to worsen as the night goes on if temperatures continue to cool. So what’s going on?
The Meteorology Of The Moment
When air temperatures cool to the dewpoint temperature, the water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to form moisture. That’s how dew and fog form. I looked at the weather discussion from the National Weather Service in Chicago, and there were some telling clues. “Surface high pressure continues to expand over the Great Lakes early this afternoon, providing the area with cooler east-northeasterly surface winds,” noted the afternoon forecast discussion. My hypothesis is that the location of Wrigley Field, the prevailing cool air flow and the grass field have led to situation conducive for condensation. Meteorologist and WeatherSTEM founder/CEO Ed Mansouri concurred. “I bet the dew point depression (the difference between temperature and dewpoint) is a good deal lower at Wrigley Field near the lakeshore,” he told me in a message.
Announcers noted that 43,067 people were present. As a “volleyball dad,” I love the idea of growing and promoting the sport. However, this may have been a situation in which consulting with a meteorologist would have been a wise move. At least the earlier Kentucky-Penn State game was completed. As I end this essay, it was announced that the match has been suspended and will not be rescheduled at Wrigley Field. Fans drove hundreds of miles for the event, but player safety is the first priority.
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