The end of summer and early fall are some of the busiest times of the year for outdoor sports participation, and unfortunately this is also the time of year with the highest number of cloud-to-groundlightning strikes. According to data from the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration, the NOAA, there are about 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes each year. The highest number occurs in southeast Florida and decreases toward the western UnitedStates.
In the chart above, the redareas indicate a high concentration of lightning strikes and the grey areas the least.
Lightning represents a significant risk to outdoor athletes. Metal objects such as golf clubs, aluminumbaseball bats, and bicycles will all attract lightning. Lightning-related deaths are the third most common among weather-related deaths and account for between 50 and 300 deaths per year in the UnitedStates.
The best way to stay safe is incredibly simple: don’t be out playing if lightning is suspected. The NOAA has issued a series of published recommendations that are well worthfollowing:
• Absolutely no practice or games outdoors during active lightning storms.
• “
• The old “30 second” rule for flash-to-bang calculations to estimate lightning distances hasbeen abandoned. If you hear thunder you’re at risk.
• If you’re caught in a thunderstorm try to get indoors in a building. Buildings with electric andtelephone wiring and plumbing are ideal because this can be a form of “grounding,” carrying the electrical current away. If there’s no building available, a hard-topped automobilewith the windows closed is the next best option. Try not to touch metal in the car.
• Avoid contact with the tallest object in an open field (like a tall tree) or anybody of water. The safest position to assume is a crouched position with the feet close together and weight entirely on the balls of the feet.
If you are running a team or league it’sbest to have a clear policy in place at the start of the season for a lightning safety protocol, identifying safe locations, and guidelines for resuming play.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE’S
Lightning Safety and Outdoor SportsActivities
KEY POINTS:
• The summer months are the peak time of year for lightning strikes.
• If you hear thunder, abandonoutdoor practice and go indoors. “If the thunder roars, go indoors.”
• Outdoor play should not resume for at least 30 minutes after thunder and lightningstops.
(Dr. Dev K. Mishra, a Clinical Assistant Professor of orthopedic surgery at StanfordUniversity, is the creator of the SidelineSportsDoc.com onlineinjury-management course, now a requirement for US ClubSoccer coaches and staff members. Mishra writes about injury recognition and management at SidelineSportsDoc.com Blog, where this article first appeared.
Lots of very good points undermined by inaccurate data:
Current data on lightning deaths in USA: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fewer-americans-killed-lightning-strikes-n792776. Average annually since 2007: 31.
Interesting article written by someone who lives in an area where it rarely rains. LOL.
Leave the field if you hear thunder? Uh, yeah. It can thunder for hours here and not rain or have lightning. Might as well say, leave the field if you see a cloud as a tornado might come up. Or leave the field if traffic is bad as someone might run off the road.
When you go to extremes on the caution, then you cry wolf and will be ignored.