It’s the summer of extreme weather. Record-breaking heat, unprecedented cool temperatures, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes have wreaked havoc across the United States—and such intense weather can be perilous for athletes.
Depending on the region where outdoor sporting events are held, athletes might encounter extreme dry or humid heat, lightning, heavy rain, strong winds, hail potentially large enough to cause injuries, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
As extreme weather increases in frequency, safety must become a top priority for outdoor sports. While staying informed about long- and short-term weather forecasts, event planners, coaches, and athletes also need to educate themselves about how to protect athletes from weather-related illness and injury. This includes checking on the condition of playing fields and equipment that, if damaged by bad weather, can affect athletes’ ability to practice and compete safely.
Ultimately, prioritizing weather safety gives athletes secure environments and peace of mind, according to SafeAthlete.org, a website on athlete health, wellness, and safety. Athletes can focus on their performance instead of possible risks from weather hazards.
Monitoring weather forecasts
Dramatic and dangerous weather is happening more frequently, according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Western wildfires, for example, worsen air quality locally and hundreds of miles away. Extreme rainfall has caused flooding in the region east of the Rocky Mountains, while coastal areas face intensifying hurricanes.
Before traveling to or competing in outdoor sports events, it’s vital for athletes and coaches to stay informed about current and upcoming weather conditions. A variety of resources can provide long- and short-term weather predictions. Weather.com, for example, offers three-month forecast maps depicting anticipated temperatures and precipitation across the United States.
Likewise, the National Weather Service’s storm prediction center at SPC.NOAA.gov shows forecasts for storms and fires throughout the United States in a span of one to eight days. At Weather.gov, NWS provides up-to-date weather forecasts, warnings, and alerts nationwide.
The Weather Channel and AccuWeather offer weather apps for smartphones and devices that provide real-time weather updates, alerts and notifications, plus local air quality and UV index information.
Phone apps such as WeatherBug Spark and My Lightning Tracker can track lightning activity and give updates when lighting is in the area. Lightning is one of the top 10 causes of sudden death in sports, according to the National Athletic Trainers Association.
Establish safety guidelines
Recognize to Recover, U.S. Soccer’s player health and safety program, offers guidelines to assist coaches, athletes, and parents in evaluating environmental conditions. In addition to monitoring weather forecasts, Recognize to Recover urges teams to create comprehensive weather safety procedures.
Teams are encouraged to develop emergency action plans. Coaches should know where teams can take shelter in case of intense or unpredictable weather. Train staff to provide first aid and CPR, and be sure teams have access to first aid kits.
The type of sport, the location of the game or competition, specific weather patterns in the region, and unique challenges in that geographic region may vary as teams travel for games and competitions. Be prepared to adapt team safety guidelines to fit the locations of each game or event. For more information about establishing safety guidelines, visit RecognizetoRecover.org.
Be on guard against heat-related illness
Heat — perpetually a summer health concern — is poised to be a bigger risk this year. According to Weather.com, 2024 will be one of the hottest on record in the United States. The Southwest, Plains, Midwest, and northern New England are likely to experience peak heat.
Record-breaking hot weather can contribute to heat-related illnesses that are life-threatening or deadly. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently introduced a new online tool, EPHTracking.cdc.gov/Applications/HeatRisk, that shows nationwide which regions—and even which counties—have the highest and lowest heat risk in a given day and week.
“Both dry heat and heat on days where there’s high humidity are dangerous,” says Claudia Brown, a health scientist with the Climate and Health Program, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC.
Safety recommendations are similar for dry and humid hot climates. Wear sunscreen. Athletes or anyone who is active and perspiring outdoors should reapply sunscreen at least every two hours.
If possible, schedule games or workouts earlier or later in the day when temperatures might be cooler. Limit activity during the hottest times of day, and athletes should pace themselves to avoid overexertion. When sports are played on hot days, athletes should take breaks between games and training in cooler, shady locations.
Staying hydrated is essential for preventing heat illnesses. Hydration and heat management apps such as Gatorade’s Gx or Hydro Coach can help monitor hydration levels and provide recommendations for maintaining proper fluid intake during hot weather conditions.
“Heat-related illnesses are from the body not cooling itself,” Brown says. “Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more fluids…if you do start to show signs of heat-related illness, retreat to shade or indoors where there’s air conditioning so it doesn’t escalate to something more serious.”
Muscle cramps can be a sign of dehydration, and muscle spasms in an individual’s arms, calves, and abdomen can occur as a result of prolonged heat exposure combined with dehydration, Brown explains.
Heat rash, also known as prickly heat, occurs when sweat gland pores are blocked and rupture, especially on areas of the body covered by tight clothing. To ease heat rash, stay in cool locations as much as possible. Keep the rash area dry and apply powder to increase comfort.
Heat exhaustion requires emergency medical treatment. It’s the body’s response to an excessive loss of water and salt and can be caused by heat exposure over an extended period of time, such as several days. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting are typical symptoms, Brown said.
“It’s important to drink plenty of water and cool the body off and seek medical treatment,” she adds.
Heat stroke happens when body temperature rises rapidly to upwards of 106 F. Heat stroke is usually a progression of other heat-related illnesses and can happen suddenly. Symptoms may be confusion, headache, and dizziness, and possibly sweating. Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention and can be fatal, Brown warns.
For more best practices to protect and treat athletes affected by hydration and heat illness, visit RecognizetoRecover.org/environmental/ #heat-hydration.
Stay dry, indoors during storms, lightning
Summertime thunderstorms and lightning are common and when they occur, go indoors. The Recognize to Recover program advises suspending all activity when thunderstorms are in the vicinity of a sporting event. Their recommendation is to resume outdoor sports activities 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder or flash of lightning.
Wet and damp conditions, such as sudden rainstorms, might add to the risk of injury or illness. Athletes should remove wet clothing and put on dry clothing as soon as possible. Hats, gloves, and extra socks can help keep extremities dry in case of rain.
In the event of more severe weather, such as tornadoes, floods, fires, and hurricanes, monitor weather apps and local news TV and radio stations, and follow their instructions about when and where to seek appropriate shelter.
Safety tips for spectators
It’s not uncommon for athletes’ families to accompany them to sporting events, even turning the trips into mini vacations. Whether they’re in the stands watching a competition or exploring nearby attractions, visitors are wise to monitor the weather and take precautions, too.
Since spectators may be outdoors for extended periods of time watching a game or sporting event, the weather—especially heat—can pose a risk for them, too, Brown says.
“Being anywhere your body is warming faster than it’s able to cool itself down puts you at risk. If you are outdoors, try to seek out shade. Wear loose-fitting clothing. Wear light-colored clothing. Watch out for alcohol use—that can increase risk,” Brown says.
Alcohol is a diuretic; it rids the body of more fluid than it takes in. When drinking alcohol in hot weather, a person’s body temperature begins to rise faster, causing them to perspire more. A person could become dehydrated twice as fast as normal, according to the Alcohol Rehab Guide. To prevent dehydration, drink water throughout the day and in between alcoholic beverages. Rising body temperature due to alcohol consumption could also lead to heat stroke.
Brown advises those attending outdoor events never to leave pets or children in a vehicle.
“Maybe people go back and forth to the car [during a sporting event]. Cars heat up faster than you realize. It can become very dangerous,” she says.
Brown cautions some individuals may be at higher risk of illness from excess heat and should be especially cautions. Adults older than 65 and individuals who take beta blocker or diuretic medication run a greater risk of heat-related illness, as do people who have heart or other chronic conditions or chronic diseases.
Children and teens who have asthma also need to be cautious of the heat, according to EPHTracking.cdc.gov/Applications/HeatRisk/.
For pregnant women, heat-related illness can increase the risk of pre-term birth, Brown adds.
“These are things that need to be considered when you think about your individual risk,” she explains.
For athletes and spectators, being prepared for weather conditions eases stress and sets everyone up to safely compete in, watch, and enjoy outdoors sports.
