New weather developments are not promising for today's planned launch of a Delta IV rocket carrying a next-generation weather satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A new storm cell with active lightning is expected to cross over Launch Complex 37 within 30 minutes, said weather officer Joel Tumbiolo.
That would likely scrap the current plan to launch at 6:44 p.m. And the back edge of an anvil cloud in the area isn't expected to clear for two hours, Tumbiolo said - well past the end of today's launch window at 7:14 p.m.
Rumbling thunder can be heard from the press site at Kennedy Space Center.
If the launch scrubs, NASA and United Launch Alliance would try again at 6:14 p.m. Saturday.
Forecasters have predicted a 60-percent chance that storms could disrupt the one-hour launch window.
The forecast overnight tonight appears set to calm down, so it may not be necessary to roll the 330-foot Mobile Service Tower back over the rocket for protection.
Image note: Weather radar images are screen grabs from the Air Force 45th Space Wing's weather channel.
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