Wednesday 5 April 2017 18:39, UK
Masters organisers ordered the evacuation of the course early on Wednesday with lightning and heavy rain forecast.
Practice rounds were suspended at around 10am, local time, less than 24 hours before the tournament's 81st edition is due to begin at Augusta National in Georgia.
Severe weather was forecast for several of the southern States, and flights to Atlanta's major airport were temporarily halted.
The adverse conditions are likely to curtail the traditional pre-tournament Par 3 contest, although the late-morning weather update indicated a lull for the early part of the afternoon.
The practice range was reopened at midday, with patrons being readmitted to the course at 12:30pm, the new scheduled time for the start of the Par 3 competition.
However, severe thunderstorms are still expected to arrive by 3pm, with the threat of "frequent lightning, damaging winds of up to 60mph and tornadoes".
The official Masters forecasters issued an update shortly after 11am, which read: "The warm front is moving through Augusta with rain and thunderstorms to the west. The front lifts to the north and will allow for a break in the weather with sun peeking through the clouds.
"But the sunshine will further destabilise the atmosphere and lead to additional thunderstorm development towards the middle part of the afternoon.
"Thunderstorms are expected to become severe and conditions will be favourable for heavy rain, frequent lightning, hail, damaging winds of 40-60mph, and tornadoes."
