Weather Policy

Adverse Weather Policy

Added: 3/22/14

For MAC Rugby sanctioned events, the tournament/event director or the senior on-site referee is empowered to suspend play during adverse or predicted unfavorable weather conditions. The tournament/event director and the senior on-site referee will jointly decide whether to resume play; either individual has the authority to cancel the proceedings.

Lightning Policy :

As we all know, thunderstorms are likely to strike within the MAC region at any time, but more during the summer, early fall and spring months. If a storm develops and is felt to be dangerously close, you have a duty to postpone your practice, match, or event for safety reasons until the storm has passed. A safe location to wait out the storm is any fully enclosed, substantial building (e.g., locker room, classroom, office building). If a fully enclosed building is not available, a fully enclosed vehicle with a metal roof and the windows completely closed is a reasonable substitute. Do not touch any part of the metal framework while inside the vehicle. Once it is felt that the storm has safely passed, the local event coordinator will inform everyone that that the teams can return to practice/event activities.

 

Here, again, are a few facts that we would like everyone to understand:

1. The “flash to bang” count of 30 seconds is what we will be using to make a decision to discontinue activity. The NCAA uses this as a guideline for discontinuation of play. If any participant has seen a lightning flash and the ensuing thunderclap can be heard at a count of 30 seconds or less, a storm is dangerously close.

2. Essentially, a 30 second flash-to-bang means that the storm is 6 miles away {the distance is determined by dividing 5 into the number of seconds, in this case 30). It neither has to be raining nor extremely cloudy for a lightning strike to occur in the area where you are standing.

3. Even though a storm center passes miles to the right or left of where you are located, it does not mean that you and those with you are not in potential danger. Lightning has and does strike when a storm is seemingly not a threat. Lightning has been observed striking 10 miles from the storm center.

4. Any practice/match/event that is delayed due to a thunderstorm may resume 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder is heard. This is considered to be a safe period of time for any storm to clear the area and no longer be a threat. The storm is equally threatening on the back end as it is on the front end or sides.

Thank you for your cooperation in making our practices, matches, and events a safe place for all of our participants.