The unit that the original poster was referring to is made by
Strike Alert and it works very well. I have several friends that officiate soccer and they always wear them when the weather warrants. I am told that the units rarely give false alarms (unless you are near a welder) and the units have given ample notice for the officials to clear the fields for an impending storm.
That said, I never invested in one. I check the radar on my cell phone before the game and if there are cells moving in our direction, I inform my partner that we need to be on the lookout. We inform the managers at the plate meeting of the possibility of a weather problem and that
thunder will be the first clue that we may clear the fields. I have never had a problem with HS, Summer or Fall leagues using this formula:
- Lightning is difficult to see in daylight.
- In order to hear thunder, lightning had to have occurred.
- If I hear thunder, lightning will soon be seen.
- Successive thunder claps mean clear the field (read below for the reasons).
Now, we don't have the advantage here in CT of being able to see for 30 or 40 miles out. Hell, we are lucky if the terrain allows us to see 4 or 5 miles! So when
we see lightning (during daylight hours), it's right on top of us.