MLB weather rules

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Even with Thorguard (and similar), if I see or hear lightning I stop the baseball game. If the alarm goes off, I stop the game (even if I dont' see / hear the lightning). Either one is sufficient.

You can hear lightning? Amazing!!!

You can see lightning that's 30 miles away.

[chapmaja]

We use ThorGuard at two parks I umpire at. Our policy is simple. If you see lightning, hear thunder, or the the system goes off, you are DONE for a minimum 30 minutes from the last time it is seen or heard. We also say from when the system deactivates as an extra precaution.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

You can hear lightning? Amazing!!!

If lightning causes the sound aren't you thus hearing lightning?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

If lightning causes the sound aren't you thus hearing lightning?

But lightning doesn't cause thunder.

Electrical discharge causes both lightning (visual) and thunder (audible) - the two occur simultaneously.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

But lightning doesn't cause thunder.

Electrical discharge causes both lightning (visual) and thunder (audible) - the two occur simultaneously.

Actually, lightning DOES cause thunder by super heating the air and some other scientific stuff (how's that for Mr Technical?). If there were no lightning there would be no thunder.

JJ

[DG]

The electrical discharge IS lightning and lightning produces the thunder. The electrical discharge can occur from a cloud that is 40,000 feet above ground. Lightning strikes randomly and from 40,000 feet it can strike anywhere. 30 second flash to bang is no comfort. Standing next to a grounded light pole is like standing next to tree, bad place to be if lightning strikes it. Lightning is not particularly attracted to aluminum bats. It could miss all the light poles and strike the ground near a fielder and cause a death due to ground step potential.

If you can see lightning striking or hear thunder it is close enough to stop an amateur game.

MLB is whole different subject from amateur baseball from a lot of standpoints including approaching bad weather.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

You can hear lightning? Amazing!!!

You can see lightning that's 30 miles away.

You can hear the effects of it, which is obviously what I meant. If you have a better point to make, please do so.

Otherwise, I stand by my comment. Feel free to do it differently in your games.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

You can hear the effects of it, which is obviously what I meant. If you have a better point to make, please do so.

Otherwise, I stand by my comment. Feel free to do it differently in your games.

The first part was humor.
The second, however... if you have the machine, use the machine --- it will detect potential issues sooner than you might if you only have visual and audible evidence to go by ... and it will also tell you lightning you may have seen 30 miles from it's source may or may not be an issue.

If you don't have the machine - I wholely agree with the strategy of waiting 30 minutes after the last visible discharge.

[bob jenkins]

I have had several instnaces where the lightning was relatively close and the machine hasn't gone off. I'll continue to use both items.

[Welpe]

FWIW, UIL policy is to follow the 30 second flash to bang with no mention of a lightning detector. I err on the side of caution with lightning. If the lightning detector is going off, we go by that if the 30 second flash to bang has not been observed. If the 30 second flash to bang has been observed, I don't care what the detector says.

If I had my way, any sight of lightning or thunder would result in a suspension of activities but that might not be so practical for this area.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Welpe

FWIW, UIL policy is to follow the 30 second flash to bang with no mention of a lightning detector. I err on the side of caution with lightning. If the lightning detector is going off, we go by that if the 30 second flash to bang has not been observed. If the 30 second flash to bang has been observed, I don't care what the detector says.

If I had my way, any sight of lightning or thunder would result in a suspension of activities but that might not be so practical for this area.

If I don't have a detector (which means every field i can think of right now with only a single exception), I go by 30 seconds (about 6 1/2 miles) as well.

[nopachunts]

I found an app for my iPhone called Weatherbug, it's free. One of the options on the app is called "Spark". It gives an approximate distance of the closest lightning to your location. Does anyone has any history with this app? The local LL's use it as the BODs walk around the park during possible inclement weather.

[nopachunts]

BTW, my keyboard is misspelling today.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Welpe

FWIW, UIL policy is to follow the 30 second flash to bang with no mention of a lightning detector. I err on the side of caution with lightning. If the lightning detector is going off, we go by that if the 30 second flash to bang has not been observed. If the 30 second flash to bang has been observed, I don't care what the detector says.

If I had my way, any sight of lightning or thunder would result in a suspension of activities but that might not be so practical for this area.

If I used 30 seconds flash to bang, I'd lose my registration. Around here, they teach "if you can see it or hear it, it can kill you."

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

If I used 30 seconds flash to bang, I'd lose my registration. Around here, they teach "if you can see it or hear it, it can kill you."

I think this is the better approach. My state is hard headed about some of these things, including having no limit on outdoor activities when the heat index is above a certain point. It's going to take somebody dying for the policy to be revisited I fear.