Who decides when to stop play for lightning and when to restart?

Under the NFHS lightning guidelines (October 2024), the host school or organization should assign a specific staff member to monitor local weather before and during practices and games. That person is responsible for:

• suspending outdoor activities, and
• deciding when to resume them.

NFHS states that anyone following these guidelines shall not be challenged. Officials, coaches and spectators should respect the call to clear the field.

The lightning policy should be reviewed every year with administrators, coaches and game personnel, and everyone should be trained on it. Your state association may have its own lightning policy that sets out the officials' role. NFHS names state associations and the National Weather Service as the preferred sources for a lightning policy.