Extreme Weather &
Air Quality Policy

Player, staff, and family safety is of upmost importance during WFA sanctioned activities. Many factors contribute to environmental safety threats, and WFA may cancel games and/or training sessions due to severe weather or poor air quality. The club will make decisions in a comprehensive fashion to best support the safety of club members, fellow competitors, and guests. While decisions on cancellations will be made as early as possible, changing conditions and hope that conditions will allow us to play, could mean that some decisions will be made later than is most convenient. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience, as these decisions can be difficult to make.

WFA will refer to US Soccer guidelines, and coaches are required to be knowledgeable of the US Soccer Heat and Cold Guidelines and related illness recognition materials linked below.

Summary

• •WFA leadership reserves authority to cancel training and games due to environmental safety threats, including conditions that do not meet the below guidelines.
• •Coaches have discretion to cancel training or games if on-site conditions warrant safety action.
• •Extreme Heat: Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time WBGT exceeds 90°F (calculated temp) or the measured temperature exceeds 105°F.
• •Extreme Cold: Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time Wind Chill Temperature Index is less than 10°F.
• •Lightning/Thunder: Training/games are to stop immediately if lightning and/or thunder are in the area.
• •Air Quality: Training/games will be cancelled if the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 150 or above.

WFA will consider Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) to gauge physiologic heat stress, as endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. WBGT is a calculation based on temperature, relative humidity, wind, cloud cover, etc. Online WBGT calculator tools will be used to assist decisions on heat related cancellations.

Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time WBGT exceeds 90°F (calculated temp) or 105°F measured.

The Wenatchee area will be considered a Category 2 location.

For the WBGT estimation chart, regional category map, and full alert level / work-to-rest recommendations, please refer to the US Soccer Heat Guidelines .

Training/games will be cancelled if the start-time Wind Chill Temperature Index is less than 10°F.

For the wind chill temperature index chart and full cold weather alert levels and recommendations, please refer to the US Soccer Cold Weather Guidelines .

Training/games are to stop immediately if lightning and/or thunder are in the area. All participants are advised to take shelter immediately. Training/games will be delayed for 30 minutes from when thunder or lightning is first experienced, and only restart after 30 minutes has passed without experiencing thunder or lightning.

Training/games will be cancelled if the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 150 or above.

WFA staff (directors, coaches and managers) will monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings from:

Hazardous travel conditions can happen at any time of the year (snow, dust, smoke, etc). If travel warnings are issued, please consider appropriate travel planning and/or game re-scheduling.