Thunderstorms forecast - to play or not to play?

[rudebhoy]

Supposed to be playing in first proper comp this afternoon. Forecast for the NE says

"drier for a time through the early afternoon with sunny spells, before a further risk of thunderstorms developing again from late afternoon, these potentially severe.

Frequent lightning in association with the heaviest rain may also temporarily disrupt power supplies. However, many places will likely see little or no impacts.

Indeed many parts of the warning area will see dry and sunny weather through much of the daytime on Wednesday."

Really looking forward to playing in the comp, and would be gutted to call off then the storms miss us. I guess it's not possible to get a localised forecast for the thunderstorms as it's hard to predict exactly where they will hit?

Advice please!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Don't do it. Never mess with lightning.

I'm working in Amble and it looks like night time here at the moment. Rain is bouncing it down.

 

[Capella]

Depends. Does the course you are playing on a decent lightning warning system in place and are there lightning protected shelters available on the course? In that case, I'd say: risk it and if you are unlucky, you will spend a miserable 30 min under some dripping roof somewhere on the middle of the course, but you'd be save. If not, I'd probably not go for it.

 

[Wayman]

4 lads are doing a 72 hole charity event today at my course. Feel sorry for them

 

[PJ87]

Supposed to be playing in first proper comp this afternoon. Forecast for the NE says

"drier for a time through the early afternoon with sunny spells, before a further risk of thunderstorms developing again from late afternoon, these potentially severe.

Frequent lightning in association with the heaviest rain may also temporarily disrupt power supplies. However, many places will likely see little or no impacts.

Indeed many parts of the warning area will see dry and sunny weather through much of the daytime on Wednesday."

Really looking forward to playing in the comp, and would be gutted to call off then the storms miss us. I guess it's not possible to get a localised forecast for the thunderstorms as it's hard to predict exactly where they will hit?

Advice please!

whilst I wouldnt mess with lightening I wouldnt trust the weather forecast at all

so many time they predict thunder and lightening and it never arrives , ive been caught on the course before with less than 5% chance of rain and got soaked. another time lightening storm and had to come in.. again 20% chance of rain

 

[rudebhoy]

Depends. Does the course you are playing on a decent lightning warning system in place and are there lightning protected shelters available on the course? In that case, I'd say: risk it and if you are unlucky, you will spend a miserable 30 min under some dripping roof somewhere on the middle of the course, but you'd be save. If not, I'd probably not go for it.

not got anything like that unfortunately.

 

[rudebhoy]

Don't do it. Never mess with lightning.

I'm working in Amble and it looks like night time here at the moment. Rain is bouncing it down.

yeah, we've just had that here in Whitley Bay, with a few rumbles of thunder. Brightening up again now, but who knows what will come this afternoon. Might just go for a game of snooker instead.

 

[guest100718]

have a look on lightning maps
see where the storms are

 

[Pathetic Shark]

Anyone who goes out on a golf course when thunder and lightning is around is a complete and utter moron.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd play and then stop and come in as soon as lightening was about. It can be very hit and miss and you may get round without seeing any or hearing thunder or you may have a storm and have to vacate the course. Has to be worth a gamble on a lovely day like this

 

[slowhand]

Here in Leeds we had the weather warnings but it seems the rain has now passed by, and I'm looking forward to my 5:15 tee time at Sand Moor. Bring it on!

But to answer the OP, if it wasn't lightning at my tee time I would start, and then take come straight off if started.

 

[jim8flog]

No choice at our course if there is lightning we close the course and somebody goes out to make sure all players stop.

Personal view is that I do not go out if there is a very high risk of rain let alone lightning.

 

[Capella]

But to answer the OP, if it wasn't lightning at my tee time I would start, and then take come straight off if started.

It's that "coming straight off" that kills people, though. Not every thunderstorm approaches slowly and lets you comfortably count out the distance between lightning and thunder (5 sec is a bit over a mile away). By the time you see lightning, you are usually already in danger and walking off, especially with a bag full of metal rods on your back or shoved along in front of you (preferrably even with a brollie in your hand) is an open invitation. By the time you reach the parking lot or club house (if you reach it), the worst danger probably has passed anyway. But even that is no guarantee. On one of our neighbouring courses a golfer was killed a couple of years ago when he thought the storm had passed and stepped out of the shelter. The sun had already be shining again and there had been no lightning or thunder for fifteen minutes or so. The official recommondation is to stay off the course for 30 minutes after the last lightning has been recorded in the area.

On another course four women were killed that same year when they sought shelter in a hut that turned out to not be lightning protected. It is a true danger and should not be taken lightly.

 

[Tashyboy]

Played last year at Wollaton park in Notts, it was so hot sticky and humid. Just like the last few days. Then it started. Now I love thunder and lightening. But even my back end was going, we just did not know what to do for the best. It just seemed to be everywhere. Stood under an umbrella next to a load on steel rods seems like the most stupid thing in the world. What do you do, where do you go. We let it pass and it was the longest 30 mins of me life. The rain was torrential.

The worst I have seen it was at Como, Lake Como in Italy. We were up the funicular railway and it started. It actually seems like you was in the clouds that were thunder clapping. It's a wonder your eardrums did not burst. There were hundreds of people bursting a gut to get down that hill.looking at terror on people's faces is not a pleasant experience.

The best Thunder and lightening storm I have seen was in the Alps in Valtalena Italy. We were staying in an hotel in the middle of nowhere, it was pitch black and the rumble of thunder started. Within half an hour we had the most wonderful pyrotechnic show you could imagine. At the same time I realised that the Italian churches are crap at keeping time coz over a 10-15 period all the churches in the valley were ringing there bells for 23.00. It was a stunning evening.

Re going out in golf, if you know it's coming you must be thick to play in it.

 

[rudebhoy]

Well, it had brightened up a fair bit by 1.30, and after a chat with the pro, we decided to go for it. Weather was nice all the way round, though quite hot and sticky by the end, and I was flagging a bit by the 17th.

It never remotely looked like getting stormy. I guess that's the problem with regional forecasts, NE as a region is pretty big geographically. I must have looked at the forecasts for a dozen nearby towns and none of them forecasted thunder, but the NE regional one did say there was a risk of it.

 

[PJ87]

Well, it had brightened up a fair bit by 1.30, and after a chat with the pro, we decided to go for it. Weather was nice all the way round, though quite hot and sticky by the end, and I was flagging a bit by the 17th.

It never remotely looked like getting stormy. I guess that's the problem with regional forecasts, NE as a region is pretty big geographically. I must have looked at the forecasts for a dozen nearby towns and none of them forecasted thunder, but the NE regional one did say there was a risk of it.

Regional forecasts are so hit and miss

Go to the met office app or website put in postcode of where you play and that least gives a local forecast

Never go regional

 

[Capella]

Normally the best forecasts you can get are those issued for farmers or, if you live close to the sea, for sailors. They are usually much more precise with their predictions. Also, I use a Dutch site which I find very good: https://www.buienradar.nl/ It only covers a small part of England, but if you are in the south east, give it a try. It does cover most of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to use the met office app and the map to plot rainfall and see if they are forecasting anything coming over while I'm due to be out playing. Not infallible but pretty close most of the time

 

[Jamesbrown]

I've got my 1st round Titleist FJ Match tomorrow at home.
neither of us can cancel as either of us can claim the match.
Glad I've got rain gloves and a full galvin green set.

 

[Khamelion]

If the lightening is coming down around you, best option is to ditch the lightening conductors you carrying or pushing, ditch the brolly and crouch away from them away from trees, down on your honkers head between you knees, hands covering you ears, making the smallest form you can. It may not guarantee you won't get hit, but if you do, there's every chance the lightening will go around your body, rather than through it, lessening any injuries.

Do not lie down flat on the ground.