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IRMO LITTLE LEAGUE

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Weather

Most of our days in South Carolina are warm and sunny, but there are days when the weather turns and creates unsafe weather conditions.

Rain
If it begins to rain:
  • Evaluate the strength of the rain; is it a light drizzle or is it pouring?
  • Determine the direction the storm is moving.
  • Evaluate the playing field as it becomes more and more saturated.
  • Stop practice if the playing conditions become unsafe. use commons sense. If playing a game, consult with the other Manager and Umpire to formulate a decision.


Lightning
The average lightning strike is 5 to 6 miles ling with up to 30 million volts of 100,000 amp flow.

The average thunderstorm is 6 to 10 miles wide and moves at a rate of 25 miles per hour. Once the leading edge of the thunderstorm approaches to within 10 miles, you are at immediate risk due to the possibility of lightning strikes coming from the storm's overhanging anvil cloud.

This fact is the reason that many lightning deaths and injuries occur with clear skies overhead. On average, the thunder from a lightning strike can only be heard over a distance of 3 to 4 miles, depending on the terrain, humidity, and the background noise around you. By the time you can hear thunder, the storm has already approached to within 3 to 4 miles.

The sudden cold wind that many people use to gauge the approach of a thunderstorm is the result of down drafts and usually extends less than 3 miles away from the storm's leading edge. By the time you feel the wind, the storm can be less than 3 miles away.

If you hear, see, or feel a thunderstorm:

  • Suspend all games and practices immediately.
  • Stay away from metal, including fencing and bleachers.
  • Do not hold metal bats.
  • Get players to walk, not run, to their parents' or designated driver's care and wait for your decision on whether or not to continue the game or practice.
  • Beginning in March of 2012, Irmo Little League began utilizing a newly purchases Lightning Detector. This  device will give additional warning of an approaching thunderstorm as far away as 40 miles. The device will be kept in the concession stand, where it can be monitored during Littel League events.
  • When lightning is detected by the Lightning Detector, the Officer of Duty will be notified by concession stand personnel. The Officer on Duty will notify all active Umpires and, if possible, the Umpire in Chief that lightning has been detected in the area,The Officer on Duty will continue to monitor the lightning detector.

    If a storm is approaching and the lightning detector registered lightning within a 10-mile radius, all activities will cease immediately. The Officer of Duty and/or an Umpire can stop play before lightning is detected within the 10-mile radius if either believes that continuing play is unsafe. If the Officer on Duty and/or an Umpire feels that weather conditions are too hazardous for play, the Officer on Duty and/or the Umpire has the authority to stop play at any time.
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