Rain/Thunderstorms on Saturday - Will Time Trials Be Cancelled?

[Anonymous]

New to summer swim parent here? Looking like a pretty big front is moving in. Should I assume time trials will be canceled?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't assume cancellation yet. I see, "Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day"

[Anonymous]

Meets will still happen if it's raining but not storming, unless it is raining so hard that the officials can't see what the swimmers are doing under the surface of the water.

[Anonymous]

The standard at our pool is no swimming in the rain when the guards can't see the bottom of the diving well. There has to be a _lot_ of rain for that to happen. If there's no thunder and no lightning, you can run a meet in a pretty significant cloudburst.

(Remember the storms last weekend? There was a 3-day outdoor meet in Rockville that barely moved any events. Yes, they were swimming in that rain.)

Basic meet-in-the-rain tips for little swimmers:

Pop-up shelter if you're allowed to have one and it's not windy. Get there early and put it up over pavement, not grass.

BYO chairs with the pop-up. Otherwise, a small microfiber towel to wipe off your seat and a ziploc to take it home in.

Bigger umbrellas are almost always better.

Bring multiple extra towels and even shirts if kid will wear them. If you can get to the car easily you can keep some in the car. If not, plastic bags. Cold, wet towels are a misery.

Swim parka if you have one, rain slicker if you don't.

Sleep pants for kiddo for between races if it's cold (those outgrown ones that are too short are great for rain days).

Crocs over flip-flops.

Remind kiddo to stay out of mud and off hills. No running. Slipping and falling is real and very messy (see above on last weekend).

Good luck! If the weather even remotely allows it the meet will go on. But good spirit can get them all through almost anything.

[Anonymous]

P.S. But PP is right that the rain also can't be so heavy that officials can't make calls. In that case you might get delays, but call-offs would be absolute last resort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New to summer swim parent here? Looking like a pretty big front is moving in. Should I assume time trials will be canceled?

Where do you see “a pretty big front” moving in?

[Anonymous]

And if you’re a timer—wear a raincoat (no umbrella) and a hat to keep the rain out of your eyes. Don’t wear sneakers with socks—they’ll be soaked. Waterproof shoes are best (even flip flops will be more comfortable)

[Anonymous]

It looks like it will only rain around warm ups where I live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:P.S. But PP is right that the rain also can't be so heavy that officials can't make calls. In that case you might get delays, but call-offs would be absolute last resort.

Well the delays can’t be too long because the pool needs to open to the general membership. We will not have the option to run over the regularly scheduled opening time on Saturday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:P.S. But PP is right that the rain also can't be so heavy that officials can't make calls. In that case you might get delays, but call-offs would be absolute last resort.

Well the delays can’t be too long because the pool needs to open to the general membership. We will not have the option to run over the regularly scheduled opening time on Saturday.

That’s going to vary significantly by pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:P.S. But PP is right that the rain also can't be so heavy that officials can't make calls. In that case you might get delays, but call-offs would be absolute last resort.

Well the delays can’t be too long because the pool needs to open to the general membership. We will not have the option to run over the regularly scheduled opening time on Saturday.

Yes - the usual at our pool is that the pool opens when the meet is over, at whatever time. Could be on the early side or the later side. The community is used to it and so far as I know there are never any issues (and I'm pretty plugged in). Plus if the weather is lousy on Saturday it's not like people are going to be super anxious to get in just for fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:P.S. But PP is right that the rain also can't be so heavy that officials can't make calls. In that case you might get delays, but call-offs would be absolute last resort.

Well the delays can’t be too long because the pool needs to open to the general membership. We will not have the option to run over the regularly scheduled opening time on Saturday.

That’s going to vary significantly by pool.

Exactly we have 2 pools so can go as long as we need. We would only cancel for a monsoon/can't see bottom of pool or all day lightening.
Plus if there are delays/bad weather it's not like general members will be lining up to get in the pool

[Anonymous]

Canceling a swim meet

Delays sure, but they are rarely cancelled if at all possible.

Plan to get wet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New to summer swim parent here? Looking like a pretty big front is moving in. Should I assume time trials will be canceled?

They will have it in the rain. Thunderstorms will delay. They will try and get as much done as possible.

One year we got stormed out completely. The whole morning. It made for an awful season. The coaches had to go on last year's times and guesswork. We lost our first few meets because of it.

[Anonymous]

No but you'll likely be there a loooong time. They will swim in the rain. Can't swim with thunder. Thunder pause could last an eternity.