Storms could interrupt Philly’s France-Iraq World Cup match. Here’s the forecast and FIFA’s rules.
World Cup games are played in the rain, but a lightning strike near the Linc could force a delay.
Thunderstorms are expected to make their way through the Philadelphia region later Monday evening, potentially interrupting the World Cup match between France and Iraq (5 p.m, Fox).
The strongest storms are forecast to move in beginning around 4 p.m., bringing with them heavy rain, wind gusts approaching 60 mph, and the potential for an isolated tornado.
“Storms will certainly have lightning with them,” said Zack Cooper, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly station.
An inch or two of rain could fall in and around the city, Cooper said, but depending on the storm’s severity that could all come in an hour or less, leading to flash flooding. Philadelphia and the surrounding region are under a flood watch.
“Exactly how much would fall on a given thunderstorm is impossible to know, but we could certainly see some pretty high rain rates in these storms tonight,” Cooper said.
For those going to the game, umbrellas aren’t allowed in the stadium, but you can bring a poncho.
It might not be ideal for fans heading to Monday’s game, but Philadelphia could use the rain. The city has gone 10 straight months with below-normal precipitation, and Chester Country is among four in Pennsylvania under a drought warning.
What are FIFA’s rules for rain and thunderstorms?
FIFA will pause play if there is a lightning strike within eight miles of the stadium. The match will remain paused for 30 minutes, with any subsequent lightning strikes resetting the clock.
Six Club World Cup matches were delayed by severe weather last summer. A match between Chelsea and Benfica at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., was delayed multiple times due to lightning strikes, taking four hours and 38 minutes to finish.
The FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill Park in Fairmount would close if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius. Fans would need to exit the grounds and move to a safe location, and could re-enter after 30 minutes if no additional lightning is detected.
Festivities were interrupted Thursday evening, when high winds prompted the event to close early.
