Lightning thunderstorm flash over the night sky.

Lightning Guidelines for the Sports Complex

When Thunder Roars

Blue Valley Recreation partners with Weather OR Not, the premier 24-hour weather service,  to get detailed, location-specific forecasts when deciding whether to suspend outdoor activities due to lightning.

In addition, we use multiple lightning detection and radar systems focused on our Sports Complex. When any system detects lightning within 10 miles, we immediately stop all play.

Keep in mind that visibility of lightning depends on factors like time of day, weather conditions, and visual obstructions such as trees or buildings. In fact, during clear conditions—especially at night—you may see lightning from more than 10 miles away, as long as nothing blocks your view of the thunderstorm.

We monitor multiple lightning detection and radar systems focused on our Sports Complex. When any system detects a lightning strike within 10 miles, we immediately stop all play.

Lightning visibility changes based on the time of day, weather conditions, and nearby obstructions like trees or buildings. In clear conditions—especially at night—you can often see lightning from more than 10 miles away, as long as nothing blocks your view of the storm.

When do we stop play?

  • We stop all play immediately when a lightning strike occurs within 10 miles of the Sports Complex.
  • If staff see lightning that doesn’t register on our detection systems, the on-call staff member contacts Weather OR Not to determine the lightning’s distance. If staff determine that the lightning is within 10 miles of the complex, they will stop play.
  • We also stop all play when the National Weather Service issues a thunderstorm or tornado warning for the area.

When will staff restart play?

  • Staff will restart play 15 minutes after the last lightning strike occurs within 10 miles of the Sports Complex.
  • Officials will resume play once all warnings for the area have been cleared.
  • If a coach chooses to pull their team from the field or a parent decides to remove their child due to inclement weather, we will fully support their decision. We will not take any action against that coach or parent.

You can find game and practice cancellations on our Inclement Weather page.