The atmosphere inside Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium was tumultuous when Lionel Messi introduced himself as an Inter Miami player on Sunday, but the weather that marked his arrival was even more turbulent.
Joe Lundberg, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said the storm was fairly isolated in nature and was caused by a thunderstorm that erupted along a “sea wind front” moving inland from Florida’s southwest coast.
Get the free ACCUWeather app
Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Messi’s unveiling was undaunted by hours of torrential rain outside the stadium. Thousands rushed through the stadium gates, crouching under umbrellas and slipping past bystanders. Tickets for the unveiling sold for over $1,000 each.
Messi was scheduled to take the stage at 6:30 pm ET, but Inter Miami announced the following: Rain delay via Twitter at 6:26 pm Gates reopened by 7:45pmand the show was going on by 8 p.m. Heavy rain continued for over two hours, with frequent flashes of lightning and then drizzling.
Want the next level of ad-free safety? Unlock advanced hyperlocal weather alerts when: Subscribe to Premium+ and AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ Prompted by expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
