What Happens to an EMMA Event If the Weather Turns Bad?

I get asked this more than you'd think, usually by someone eyeing the forecast the week of an event: what actually happens if it rains, or blows a gale, on EMMA competition day? The honest answer is that EMMA doesn't publish a blanket weather or cancellation policy the way a marathon or an outdoor concert might. What I can tell you is how weather actually plays out on the day, because I've judged through plenty of it.

Events generally run rain or shine

Car audio judging days are built around static, judged inspection of parked cars, not an outdoor performance that has to stop when the sky opens. In practice that means events proceed as scheduled through light rain and wind far more often than they get called off. Our Australian events run from fixed venue addresses in Sydney and Melbourne rather than an open paddock, but competitors are still queuing, waiting between classes and moving between cars largely in the open — so weather is a real factor in how comfortable, not whether possible, your day is. See what to bring in your EMMA competition day kit for why I tell people to pack for sun and rain both.

What weather actually touches on the day

• Sound Quality judging happens with a judge seated inside your car, doors shut, working through the official tracks — see how EMMA competition day is run. Once we're in the cabin and the volume's calibrated, rain on the roof or wind outside isn't stopping that pass.
• Install Quality judging is the part most exposed to weather in a practical sense, because it often means doors, bonnet and boot open while a judge inspects wiring, fusing and mounting — see how Install Quality is scored. A downpour mid-inspection is genuinely disruptive, and it's the moment I've seen organisers pause or shuffle the running order rather than push through.
• Check-in, technical checks and the waiting area are the most exposed part of the day logistically — this is where sun protection, a folding chair and something dry to sit under earns its keep.

There's no published rain policy — here's what that means for you

Because EMMA hasn't codified a formal wet-weather or cancellation procedure the way some outdoor sports do, calls on the day are made by the organising team based on conditions, venue and running order — not a fixed rulebook clause. If severe weather is forecast for an event you're entered in, the most reliable thing to do is watch the event's own page and social channels in the days beforehand, and contact EMMA Australia directly (get in touch with us if you want a hand working out who to ask) rather than assuming either "it'll be cancelled" or "it'll definitely go ahead."

What I'd pack for an exposed or uncertain forecast

• A tarp or car cover you can throw over an open boot if Install Quality inspection gets interrupted by a shower
• Old towels — for a wet boot lining, a damp seat, or drying your hands before anyone touches your amp or head unit
• A phone and your printed diagrams in a snap-lock bag or folder, not loose paper on the passenger seat
• Wet-weather gear for yourself on top of the sun protection already on your competition day kit checklist

Weather changes how comfortable your day is far more often than it changes whether judging happens. Build your kit for both extremes and you'll spend your energy on the car, not the forecast.

If you're unsure how a specific venue handles conditions on the day, that's a question for the organisers rather than something I can promise from the judging table — but I'm always happy to talk through how to protect your build and your paperwork if the forecast looks rough. Reach out before the day if you want to double-check anything.

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