English-like conditions have greeted Australia's cricketers on landing in Brisbane, with forecast showers this week looming large ahead of the Ashes opener.
However, master curator Kevin Mitchell doesn't expect the unseasonably bleak day to derail pitch plans for his Gabba swan song.
The centre strip could potentially have more than a tinge of green to it - even by the venue's standards.
But the trademark bounce, that has so delighted Australian captains and depressed visiting teams over the past 30 years, should be on offer at a ground where the hosts' most-recent Test loss came in 1988.
"Obviously, if we get a fair bit of cloud throughout the week ... it might end up a bit greener than normal," Mitchell told AAP.
"But I'm not expecting that. We should be ok, we've allowed ourselves plenty of time and we're planning on producing a reasonably traditional deck.
"If we get some unexpected weather, it could be a bit different but I don't expect that.
"It'll be a pretty good batting deck after it settles down a bit ... we'd be hoping for that (a day-five finish)."
Former England captain Nasser Hussain famously won the toss at the Gabba in 2002 and sent the Australians in, watching them amass 2-364 by stumps en route to a big win on what he thought was a green mamba.
Rain, ranging from drizzle to downpours, soaked the Queensland capital on Saturday.
It wasn't the area's renowned quick-fire thunderstorms. The sun hardly emerged from overcast skies; the temperature rarely climbed above 20C.
Steve Smith's squad has a fan day on Sunday then will hit the nets on Monday, with the much-anticipated Test starting on Thursday.
"It's a bit wet. I'm sure it will clear up over the next few days," batsman Shaun Marsh said.
"I'm sure it'll be a good wicket."
Mitchell, who didn't expect to remove the covers much on Saturday, would soon put the finishing touches on his final Test pitch.
"I'm trying not to think about it too much," he said, having announced earlier this year he would move on after some 33 years in charge of a oval that had been a genuine fortress for Australia.
"Hopefully, it just turns out to be a nice Test wicket and that'll do me. That'd be awesome - a result around the fifth day would be ideal."
