When should play stop for lightning, hail or wind chill?
Guideline- Australia
- Hockey Australia
- Club hockey
- Concussion Policy
- Extreme Weather Guidelines
- Code of Conduct
- All ages
- 2026
- Team managers
Hockey Australia's Extreme Weather Guidelines (version 1.2, updated 15 December 2022) say:
- Lightning: use the 30/30 rule. If the time between the lightning flash and the thunder is less than 30 seconds, suspend play, and do not resume until 30 minutes after the last thunder. Sturdy buildings are the safest shelter. Avoid sheds, picnic shelters, metal coaching boxes and goals. A car with the windows closed also offers some protection.
- Hail: suspend all play so players and officials can seek shelter. Restart after the hail has stopped, paying attention to the amount of ice on the surface. In extreme circumstances, consider deferring the restart to allow melting or manual clearing.
- Wind chill: the chill section says minus 2 degrees Celsius apparent temperature is the point where play should be suspended, while the document's extreme weather table lists an apparent temperature below 2 degrees Celsius as an extreme weather determinant.
The document describes itself as "purely guidelines", and local competition by-laws may add rules about suspending or cancelling play.
Updated 24 Oct 2026