A nasty cold front separating very warm moist air and some very dry Canadian air spent the day firing off thunderstorms… and delaying college football games across the Midwest.
Fans “enjoying” the Notre Dame – South Florida game were asked to evacuate the stadium due to the threat of lightning. That game is currently 16-0, South Florida, at the half.
Also, at Kinnick stadium, home of the Iowa Hawkeyes, fans were asked to take cover during a storm that brought heavy rain and lightning. The Hawkeyes ended up winning the game, 34-7 over Tennessee Tech
The one place where weather can never drown the fans enthusiasm is at Michigan Stadium. Tat’s where fans were “encouraged” to leave the stadium during a heavy downpour with strong winds and lightning, but few left. The officials decided that the weather didn’t call for an evacuation, probably because no one would leave anyway.
The game resumed about 30 minutes later. Michigan is beating Western Michigan, 34-10, in the third quarter .
I want to know how many NCAA Div. 1 games were delayed last year…also, what are the rules to delaying/calling a game – how is it determined that a game is over and the score stands as is?
I want to know how many NCAA Div. 1 games were delayed last year…also, what are the rules to delaying/calling a game – how is it determined that a game is over and the score stands as is?
From what I could find, there were about two dozen games delayed in Div. I last year. And the NCAA rules handle lightening very carefully. Below is some quoted text fromthe NCAA and how they handle the inclement weather:
“Lightning is the most consistent and significant weather hazard that may affect intercollegiate athletics. The 1998-99 NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook (and the NCAA website) contains a lighting safety guideline that outlines important prevention and education issues. The purpose of every guideline in the handbook is to provide a foundation upon which appropriate intercollegiate athletics decisions and policy at an individual institution level can be made.
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide further information to those responsible for making decisions about suspending and restarting events based on the presence of lightning. As noted in the handbook (page No. 13), the current recommendation by the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) is to consider terminating play when the lightning is six miles away (flash – to – bang time of 30 seconds or less). This recommendation was developed as a practical way to make a judgment in situations where other resources (such as technology and instrumentation) are not available. The rationale of this recommendation is based on the following scientific information:
There is a 70 percent likelihood that the next cloud – to – ground lighting strike will occur somewhere in a circular area with a radius of six miles from the previous strike.
There is a 25 percent likelihood that the next cloud – to – ground lighting strike will occur somewhere in a circular area with a radius between six and nine miles from the previous strike and slight chance that the next strike may occur at an even great distance.
The NSSL warns that the risk of a negative occurrence warrants consideration of event suspension when lightning is within six miles of the activity site. In addition, a smaller but still real risk exists with the presence of lightning at greater distances. Unfortunately, current science cannot predict where within the radius the next strike will occur.
Ultimately, local individuals are in the best position to make decisions about modifying events in response to lightning or other weather situations. These decisions often are influenced by a variety of factors including participant and fan safety. The recommendation noted above provides a basic foundation to assess lightning safety. However, it is only one of a variety of resources, such as commercial weather warning systems or communication with the National Weather Service that can assist event managers in the assessment of weather situations.”
From what I could find, there were about two dozen games delayed in Div. I last year. And the NCAA rules handle lightening very carefully. Below is some quoted text fromthe NCAA and how they handle the inclement weather:
“Lightning is the most consistent and significant weather hazard that may affect intercollegiate athletics. The 1998-99 NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook (and the NCAA website) contains a lighting safety guideline that outlines important prevention and education issues. The purpose of every guideline in the handbook is to provide a foundation upon which appropriate intercollegiate athletics decisions and policy at an individual institution level can be made.
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide further information to those responsible for making decisions about suspending and restarting events based on the presence of lightning. As noted in the handbook (page No. 13), the current recommendation by the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) is to consider terminating play when the lightning is six miles away (flash – to – bang time of 30 seconds or less). This recommendation was developed as a practical way to make a judgment in situations where other resources (such as technology and instrumentation) are not available. The rationale of this recommendation is based on the following scientific information:
There is a 70 percent likelihood that the next cloud – to – ground lighting strike will occur somewhere in a circular area with a radius of six miles from the previous strike.
There is a 25 percent likelihood that the next cloud – to – ground lighting strike will occur somewhere in a circular area with a radius between six and nine miles from the previous strike and slight chance that the next strike may occur at an even great distance.
The NSSL warns that the risk of a negative occurrence warrants consideration of event suspension when lightning is within six miles of the activity site. In addition, a smaller but still real risk exists with the presence of lightning at greater distances. Unfortunately, current science cannot predict where within the radius the next strike will occur.
Ultimately, local individuals are in the best position to make decisions about modifying events in response to lightning or other weather situations. These decisions often are influenced by a variety of factors including participant and fan safety. The recommendation noted above provides a basic foundation to assess lightning safety. However, it is only one of a variety of resources, such as commercial weather warning systems or communication with the National Weather Service that can assist event managers in the assessment of weather situations.”
Further reading from Appendix C of the NCAA handbook:
“1. The current recommendation of the National Severe Storms
Laboratory (NSSL) is to consider terminating play when the lightning is six miles away (flash-to-bang time of 30 seconds or less). All individuals
should have left the game site and reached a safe structure or location. This recommendation was developed as a practical way to make a judgment in situations where other resources such as technology and instrumentation are not available. In addition, a smaller, but still real, risk exists with the presence of lightning at greater distances. Unfortunately, current science cannot predict where within the radius the next strike will occur.
2. The existence of blue sky and the absence of rain are not protection from lightning. Lightning can, and does, strike as far as 10 miles away from the rain shaft. It does not have to be raining for lightning to strike.
3. When considering resumption of a game, NSSL staff recommends that everyone ideally should wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning or sound of thunder before returning to the field of activity.
4. If available, electronic detection devices should be used as additional tools to determine the severity of the weather. However, such devicesshould not be used as the sole source when considering terminating play.”
Further reading from Appendix C of the NCAA handbook:
“1. The current recommendation of the National Severe Storms
Laboratory (NSSL) is to consider terminating play when the lightning is six miles away (flash-to-bang time of 30 seconds or less). All individuals
should have left the game site and reached a safe structure or location. This recommendation was developed as a practical way to make a judgment in situations where other resources such as technology and instrumentation are not available. In addition, a smaller, but still real, risk exists with the presence of lightning at greater distances. Unfortunately, current science cannot predict where within the radius the next strike will occur.
2. The existence of blue sky and the absence of rain are not protection from lightning. Lightning can, and does, strike as far as 10 miles away from the rain shaft. It does not have to be raining for lightning to strike.
3. When considering resumption of a game, NSSL staff recommends that everyone ideally should wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning or sound of thunder before returning to the field of activity.
4. If available, electronic detection devices should be used as additional tools to determine the severity of the weather. However, such devicesshould not be used as the sole source when considering terminating play.”