Thunderbolts and Lightning

[guyinaredhat]

Lightning

 

In some parts of the country this is a major issue.  In my part of the country it is not.  While we do have a rainy winter , thunder and lightning are never an issue for me . 

  I worked 2 games today, and towards the end of the 1st and through out the 2nd game I could see lightning.   But I couldn't hear any thunder. My partner and I got together and we didn't think it was an issue until we heard thunder, and if we heard thunder we'd go into delay.    Were we right to play on?

[BigUmpire]

If you see lightning stop play and start the 30 min clock.

[johnnyg08]

Lightning

 

In some parts of the country this is a major issue.  In my part of the country it is not.  While we do have a rainy winter , thunder and lightning are never an issue for me . 

  I worked 2 games today, and towards the end of the 1st and through out the 2nd game I could see lightning.   But I couldn't hear any thunder. My partner and I got together and we didn't think it was an issue until we heard thunder, and if we heard thunder we'd go into delay.    Were we right to play on?

 

 

With this issue, you're right until you're not.  Then what?

[pnewton]

I might debate not stopping if I just hear thunder but if I see lightening we get off the field, it's the lightening that can hurt someone not the thunder.

[noumpere]

    Were we right to play on?

 

This is a trick question, right?

 

Hard to believe there werent any adults around to get the game stopped.

[BretMan]

Treat thunder exactly the same as you treat lightning. With respect to halting a game, they should be considered as one and the same.

 

To the OP, I would suggest that you review your association's or sanctioning body's lightning procedures. The thirty minute wait for ANY lightning OR thunder is now pretty much universal for most associations. I don't know what association you were working under, but would be willing to bet that their policy isn't "just keep on playing if you think it's okay".

[johnnyg08]

You're not being the hero by continuing to play.  That's always my take on lightning.  

 

If lightning strikes your field, you're the first person they're throwing under the bus.  

 

At games everybody becomes a meteorologist the moment there is a cloud in the sky...and everybody has an opinion.  

[sdix00]

Am I missing the sarcasm, or are we really distinguishing between thunder and lightning?  

[JaxRolo]

If you see it or hear it STOP

[guyinaredhat]

See that's the thing, we work ALOT of games a year, and lighting is vary rarely the issue, and we both truely didn't know.   We didn't hear ANY thunder and I know heat lightning and lightning can light up the sky pretty far away and if your not hearing thunder the actual lightning is pretty far away.  So since I haven't gotten my leagues policy on lightning .  What is your local associations policy on lightning but no thunder.  

[mstaylor]

Read Jax's post, if you see or hear, stop, 30 minute wait. Just so you know, "heat lightning" is simply lightning that you aren't hearing the thunder. Lightning can strike from ten miles away. Do not mess with it, it can kill you without notice. You say lightning is very unusual for your area, that's fine, many of us are in high lightning areas and we can assure you that it is not to be played with. 

[noumpere]

Read Jax's post, if you see or hear, stop, 30 minute wait. Just so you know, "heat lightning" is simply lightning that you aren't hearing the thunder. Lightning can strike from ten miles away. Do not mess with it, it can kill you without notice. You say lightning is very unusual for your area, that's fine, many of us are in high lightning areas and we can assure you that it is not to be played with. 

 

Agreed if by "ten" you mean "thirty" (or more).  The sound of thunder doesnt travel that far.

 

See it Flee it.  Hear it, Fear it.

[scrounge]

I might debate not stopping if I just hear thunder but if I see lightening we get off the field, it's the lightening that can hurt someone not the thunder.

 

What exactly do you think thunder comes from? 90% of all lightning isn't visible but rather intra-cloud or otherwise unseen. But with the 90% comes the 10% that kills.

 

See that's the thing, we work ALOT of games a year, and lighting is vary rarely the issue, and we both truely didn't know.   We didn't hear ANY thunder and I know heat lightning and lightning can light up the sky pretty far away and if your not hearing thunder the actual lightning is pretty far away.  So since I haven't gotten my leagues policy on lightning .  What is your local associations policy on lightning but no thunder.  

 

There is NO SUCH THING as heat lightning. It's lightning. And people have been killed from lightning hitting from over 20 miles away. An 11 yr old in Pennsylvania was killed by a long distance strike like this a couple years ago.

 

Don't mess with this. If you see it or hear it, stop for 30 mins is our state policy. And will not deviate it from it one iota.

[UmpJM]

See lightning, hear thunder - suspend the game and send everyone to shelter off the field.

 

JM

[BigUmpire]

DO THIS and dont let ANYONE push you to do anything BUT this:

 

1. When thunder is heard, or  lighting is seen by anyone, the thunderstorm is close enough to strike your location with lightning. SUSPEND play and take shelter immediately.

 

2. Thirty-minute rule.  Once play has been suspended, wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard or flash of lighting is witnessed prior to resuming play.

 

3. Any subsequent thunder being heard or lightning seen after the beginning of the 30-minute count, reset the clock and another 30-minute count should begin.

 

Stop play and ask both stands to watch anytime there is a remote threat.

Have them yell "lighting" if anyone observes it. (keeps their eyes off of you!)

Thunder is easy hear unless you have had too many chilidogs before the game. (Could get confusing)

[CricketChapman]

I was expecting this post to be about Bohemian Rhapsody...

Weather and Playing/Safety Conditions are the rare grounds upon which an umpire could face a legitimate lawsuit.

[MidAmUmp]

The NCAA policy is a "flash-to-bang" of 30 seconds which means lightning is 6 miles away.  Their policy goes on to say lightning can strike at greater distances...there's no current scientific data to predict it...lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from a rain shaft.

 

I would always error on the side of caution when it comes to lightning.  However, if lightning is so far off that you cannot even hear thunder...I might ask to see radar.  I know some umpires who stopped/ended a game a few years ago because they saw lightning in the distance.  On radar the storm was well over 90 miles away from their location and going away from them.

 

Thunder means the existence of lightning - even if you can't see it.  So if you hear thunder you need to pull them for 30 minutes, resetting the clock every time you hear thunder/see lightning.

 

The bottom line is if it has you scared, that's good enough to stop the game.