Severe thunderstorm watch: Will it affect El Clasico today?

There is a 70% risk of thunderstorms at game time at MetLife Stadium. American protocol in case of lightning strike is very strict.

El Clasico, the highly anticipated pre-season friendly match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, is set to take place tonight at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. However, fans and organizers are closely monitoring the weather, as a severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the area.

The weather forecast for New Jersey indicates heavy rain and thunderstorms throughout the evening, which could potentially impact the match. The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch, warning of possible strong winds, heavy rainfall, and lightning. This watch is in effect until late evening, coinciding with the scheduled kickoff time of 7:00 PM local time.

Given the current weather conditions, there is a possibility that the match could be delayed or even postponed, depending on the severity of storm and the protocol.

The protocol for severe storms

In the event of such storms, the protocol is as follows:

If lightning strikes within a diameter of 8 miles, the game must be suspended and both teams and spectators must take cover. The game would only be resumed after 30 minutes without a lightning strike within the aforementioned diameter.

So everyone is looking to the skies on the Real Madrid and Barcelona expeditions to ensure that the match can take place without any problems. What is expected is quite a bit of heat: at the time of the match, it is expected to be 27 degrees Celsius with 80% humidity.