Winter Weather Safety Chart
Please refer to this chart (see link above) when determining if it is safe to train outdoors during winter months. This chart can be found on The US Soccer Web Page.

Black Zone: Outdoor training sessions MUST be cancelled. 

Red Zone: Outdoor training sessions  MUST be cancelled. 

Orange Zone: Outdoor training is discouraged, unless training during the day and in the sun. If teams do train, coaches should consider shortening the practice time and be sure that players can quickly get to a warm area as soon as practice is over.

Yellow Zone: It is OK to train, but players should wear hats and gloves. They also need to dress in layers that they can shed, if necessary.

Green Zone: Training is as normal.

Practices also must be cancelled if there is ice on the field. This makes for a dangerous situation.

Indoor practices must be cancelled if driving conditions are not safe.

Summer Heat And Humidity Safety Chart
CLICK HERE to read US Soccer's "Heat Guildelines," including a description of how to calculate whether it is safe to play, based on your area's current temperature and relative humidity. This does NOT take into account wind speed or low light conditions.

The WeatherFX App - The Weather FX App is available for both Apple devices and Android devices. The App will estimate the effects of warm weather on human physiology. The app can povide guidance on work/rest ratios and fluid intake due to high temperatures. It uses information from the closest weather station to you. Most important, the app will give you a "flag condition" color which can be any of the following:

 

Black	Extreme Conditions	No Outdoor Training, delay training until cooler, or Cancel Training
Red	High Risk for Heat Related Illness	Maximum of 1 hour of training with four 4 minute during the hour. No additional conditioning allowed.
Orange	Moderate Risk for Heat Related Illness	Maximum of 2 hours of training with four 4 minute breaks each hour, OR a 10 minute break every 30 minutes of training.
Yellow	Less Than Ideal Conditions	Three Separate 4 minute breaks each hour, OR a 10 minute break every 40 minutes of training
Green	Good Conditions	Normal Activities. Three Separate 3 minute breaks each hour of training, OR a 10 minute break every 45 minutes

 

Thunder and Lighting Policy 

At practice fields, there is rarely access to a completely enclosed building.  Therefore, you must shelter in a hard-topped all-metal vehicle; huddle all the people into the available vehicles to ensure everyone is safe, regardless of how tight it may be.

 Why leave the fields if I only hear thunder but don’t see any lightning?

According to US Youth Soccer:

Each year, about 400 children and adults in the U.S. are struck by lightning while working outside, at sports events, on the beach, mountain climbing, mowing the lawn or during other outdoor activities. About 80 people are killed and several hundred more are left to cope with permanent disabilities. Many of these tragedies can be avoided. Finishing the game, getting a tan, or completing a work shift aren't worth death or crippling injury.

• All thunderstorms produce lightning and are dangerous. Lightning kills more people each year than tornadoes.
• Lightning often strikes as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. Many deaths from lightning occur ahead of the storm because people try and wait to the last minute before seeking shelter.
• You are in danger from lightning if you can hear thunder. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough that it could strike your location at any moment.
• Lightning injuries can lead to permanent disabilities or death. On average, 20% of strike victims die; 70% of survivors suffer serious long term effects.
• Look for dark cloud bases and increasing wind. Every flash of lightning is dangerous, even the first. Head to safety before that first flash. If you hear thunder, head to safety!

Blue Skies and Lightning. Lightning can travel sideways for up to 10 miles. Even when the sky looks blue and clear, be cautious. If you hear thunder, take cover. At least 10% of lightning occurs without visible clouds in the sky.