The only force that can stop Joey Chestnut is Mother Nature.
Since 1972, the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest has been a staple of the American calendar. With the event traditionally being held on Independence Day, competitors typically have to worry about exceedingly hot temperatures, but never much rain.
That wasn't the case in 2023. The women's tournament got underway without a hitch, with Miki Sudo taking the victory under sunny skies, but the men's half of the tournament set for noon ET didn't have the same fortune, suffering a delay at the start of the competition due to weather.
MORE: Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest results, updates
The skies over Coney Island didn't look overly pleasant:
Programming Update: The 2023 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest Men’s Competition is currently delayed due to inclement weather
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 4, 2023
🌭 Coverage continues on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/07UhDYDp8o
Here's the latest on when the Nathan's tournament may be getting underway:
Nathan's hot dog eating contest weather updates
1:45 p.m.: ESPN says that coverage for the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest will begin at 2 p.m. ET. on ESPN2. Joey Chestnut: 1. Mother Nature: 0.
1:44 p.m.: Contrary to reports to the contest being canceled, CBS Sports says that the tournament is on as scheduled, despite scattered thunderstorms in the area.
1:33 p.m.: The stage where the hot dog eating contest is held is being dismantled, but there's still no official word on whether or not the men's contest has been banged. There is currently no rain in the forecast through at least 3 p.m. ET.
1:15 p.m.: There are conflicting reports about the 2023 hot dog eating contest being canceled, but Major League Eating has yet to release a statement or update on it. Instead, MLE posted a picture with Joey Chestnut and Eric Booker in the midst of the storm.
Weathering the storm @joeyjaws and @BadlandsBooker pic.twitter.com/eH6UMPldg3
— Major League Eating (@eatingcontest) July 4, 2023
12:50 p.m.: Organizers are unsure when the men's competition may get underway, with the area where the contest is set to take place starting to flood.
12:30 p.m.: A few boroughs away, the Yankees have announced a weather delay to the start of their matchup with the Orioles, which was set for 1 p.m. That may provide a bit more insight to the contest start.
12:15 p.m.: There are heavy rains at the corner of Surf and Stillwell, with rains pouring over the venue. There's no word on when the tournament may get underway.
The rain is here! The press corps is hiding under the bleachers from the thunderstorm at the @NathansFranks @ConeyIslandFun hot dog eating contest.
— Louis C. Hochman (@LouisCHochman) July 4, 2023
Pic by @BaharOstadan, braving the weather. pic.twitter.com/ESqYY5ZDsE
Noon: The start of the contest, which was scheduled for noon introductions, was delayed due to lightning in the area. There's currently no update on when the contest may get underway.
Coney Island forecast
The conditions over Coney Island called for a 10 percent chance of rain, but lightning and heavy rains in the area delayed the start of the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Radar shows that the storms in the area should clear at around 1 p.m. ET, so that may be when the contest gets underway.
The high for the day sits at 81 degrees, with partly cloudy skies over the contest venue.