Lightning delays in the NCAA Softball Tournament can last from minutes to hours, impacting game schedules. Cancellations and postponements are not allowed during the tournament.
How long are lightning delays in NCAA Softball Tournament? Weather policy, explained
At this time of the college softball season, especially once the NCAA Softball Tournament reaches Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series, weather is bound to be a factor in games.
Some of the most common types of weather delays in college softball are due to lightning and pop-up rainstorms, which can delay games for minutes — or hours. And because of the nature of the NCAA Softball Tournament, cancellations and postponements are not in play.
NCAA Softball Tournament predictions: Picking all 16 regional winners
Once a game has begun, it must be finished.
With the 2026 NCAA Softball Tournament beginning with regional play on Friday, May 15 and concluding with the Women's College World Series in early June, there is ample opportunity for weather to, quite literally, rain on the college softball postseason.
Here's what to know on NCAA Softball Tournament and Women's College World Series weather delay protocols:
NCAA rules state that once lightning is detected in the area and the game goes into a lightning delay, it is either delayed or suspended for 30 minutes. The 30-minute clock resets for every lightning strike within a six-mile radius following the initial strike, meaning delays can extend for several hours.
The NCAA mandates that if lightning strikes within at least six miles of an event venue, the game must be delayed or suspended. The NCAA uses the "flash-to-bang" method, meaning that if lightning is observed, officials must count the seconds until thunder is heard and divide the number of seconds by five to obtain the approximate distance in miles.
"To resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and after the last flash of lightning is at least six miles away, and moving away from the venue," the NCAA states. "If lightning is seen without hearing thunder, lightning may be out of range and therefore less likely to be a significant threat.
"At night, be aware that lightning can be visible at a much greater distance than during the day as clouds are being lit from the inside by lightning. This greater distance may mean that the lightning is no longer a significant threat. At night, use both the sound of thunder and seeing the lightning channel itself to decide on when to reset the 30-minute return-to-play clock before resuming outdoor athletics activities."
NCAA Softball Tournament predictions: Unseeded teams who can spring bracket surprise
Considering the likelihood of weather delays, the NCAA has a fully written-out weather policy outlining what should happen in the event of a WCWS game delay.
Here's a closer look at the NCAA's weather policy for the NCAA Softball Tournament and the NCAA's other outdoor sports:
REQUIRED READING: Five teams feeling the heat as the 2026 NCAA Softball Tournament begins
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast**.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.**
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA Softball Tournament lightning delay times, rules, protocols
Lightning delays in NCAA softball games can last anywhere from minutes to several hours.
No, cancellations and postponements are not permitted during the NCAA Softball Tournament.
Weather, particularly lightning and rain, can cause delays but does not lead to cancellations or postponements.
The NCAA Softball Tournament culminates in Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series.

Hearts ready to make history in title showdown with Celtic

See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.