Take ponchos to WVU & Marshall games just in case

(WOWK) — Football fans going to the WVU or Marshall home games week 1 of the college football season (August 31) should take ponchos just in case of showers and storms which are in the forecast on Saturday.

WVU plays Penn State in one of the most anticipated non-conference games in the nation on Week 1 with kickoff at noon in Morgantown. The weather looks good at noon for kickoff.

However, expecting a game that runs well past 3 hours in duration, the forecasted showers and storms in the Ohio River valley will push east toward Mylan Puskar Stadium around the end of the game.

Until the showers and storms develop, the temperatures will rise into the upper 80s Saturday in Morgantown. After that, temperatures should drop several degrees.

In Huntington, the home opener against Stony Brook could see showers and storms right around the time the game is slated to kick off at 5 p.m.

If the showers and storms come into play as planned, they should move east according to Predictor within about 90 minutes.

The forecast for the Marshall game calls for very hot conditions in the West Lot outside of The Joan until the rain comes through.

The key for possible delays lies in lightning chances. Most NCAA conferences use an 8 mile radius around the stadium as the safety ring for shutting down outdoor events. A 6-10 mile radius is the national standard suggested as being safe by the National Weather Service . This means it can be dry at the stadium but the delay continues for 30 minutes past the last lightning bolt inside the lightning monitored circle.

Hopefully the storms will skirt around both venues for fans but it is highly suggested that fans take ponchos for both games. Lightning delays are indeed possible. When you are in the stadium, keep an eye on the scoreboard and listen to the public address announcer for any important weather updates.

You can also get the StormTracker 13 weather app by clicking on the link directly below.

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