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Lightning Guidelines

TUSD Lightning Guidelines

Coaches, staff, and administrators are expected to exercise good judgment in evaluating the appropriate activities given the current conditions and adjusting activities appropriately.
Site administration needs to monitor conditions for all “away” athletic competitions and ensure these guidelines are being followed for our TUSD coaches, athletes, and staff. In consultation with the Business Services office, cancellation or postponement of start times based on hourly forecasts may be required.    

Should there be a possibility of canceling or postponing start times based on hourly forecasts, site administration needs to consult with the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services and, if determined, inform visiting teams as well as hosting teams for away competitions of our policy and potential cancellations or postponements by 11 AM the day of the competition.

Lightning Protocols

Each day the following protocols are used to monitor and advise school sites of weather conditions:

  1. WeatherBug.Com issues the daily forecast. 
  2. Prior to 11 AM, the Safety Office reviews forecasts and compares to current conditions. Any current condition other than GREEN or YELLOW is forwarded to:
  • Principal(s)
  • Assistant Principal(s)
  • Site Administrative Secretaries Athletic Director(s)
  • Athletic  Trainer(s)
  • District Communication Coordinator
  1. School sites will implement the Color Code Alerts as indicated below. Lightning conditions listed to the left and activity restrictions apply to all outdoor activities.
  2. Staff will be notified by site administration regarding any current condition color other than GREEN or YELLOW.
  3. The Safety Office will issue updates as they may occur throughout the day.

Publications

Coaches Quick Guide to Inclement Weather

TUSD Safety Guidelines for Inclement Weather

The Turlock Unified School District (“TUSD”) has implemented a Lightning Advisory System to monitor data regarding lightning strikes and to notify site administrators of conditions that could affect activities for students and staff.  The administration monitors reports by WeatherBug.com and other reporting stations each day to determine the forecast and real-time lightning strikes. The District employs a 5-level color system to advise students and staff of the forecast and current conditions as follows:

Weather Conditions