{
  "id": "2022-09-10-michigan-stadium-hawaii-lightning-delay",
  "slug": "michigan-stadium-hawaii-lightning-delay-2022-09-10",
  "institution": {
    "name": "University of Michigan",
    "shortName": "Michigan",
    "state": "MI",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "Michigan Athletics Game Day Notifications",
    "enrollment": 51000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2022-09-10",
    "type": "severe-storm",
    "cleryCategory": "advisory",
    "headline": "Lightning forces fans to clear the stadium seating bowl; kickoff delayed",
    "headlinePublic": "Lightning forces fans to clear the stadium seating bowl; kickoff delayed",
    "summary": "Lightning detected within 10 miles of Michigan Stadium forced officials to clear the seating bowl and field before the [Michigan-Hawaii season opener](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-wins-weather-delayed-game) on September 10, 2022. With more than 100,000 fans expected, the university directed spectators to the concourse and nearby buildings and announced a [delayed kickoff of approximately 9 p.m. ET](https://www.on3.com/college/michigan-wolverines/news/michigan-football-announces-new-kickoff-time-vs-hawaii-amid-weather-delay-lightning/).",
    "outcome": "Gates reopened around 8:30 p.m. EDT and the game kicked off about 9 p.m. EDT; Michigan defeated Hawaii 56-10.",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat"
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestamp": "2022-09-10T17:35:19-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "There is potential for severe weather today.\n\nThe start of the game may be delayed or play suspended if there is lightning within 10 miles. Instructions will be shared over PA, video screens & Twitter.\n\nShelter locations include vehicles, Pioneer HS & U-M facilities. Stay tuned.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568714764368646145",
      "sourceDescription": "@UMichAthletics on X (verbatim)",
      "annotations": [
        "Cascade same-day official @UMichAthletics post; fxtwitter raw_text."
      ],
      "characterCount": 279
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Evening, approximately 6:49 PM EDT on September 10, 2022",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Lightning has been detected within 10 miles.\n\nSpectators already in the Stadium, please clear the field/ seating bowl. Entry gates will be closed for a minimum of 30 minutes. Seek shelter under the concourse. \n\nShelter locations include the ITC and Crisler Center.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568733387271159809",
      "sourceDescription": "@UMichAthletics on X (verbatim lightning clear bowl)",
      "annotations": [
        "Corrected to exact full text from official @UMichAthletics status 1568733387271159809 including line breaks.",
        "Preserves stray space in \"field/ seating bowl\"."
      ],
      "characterCount": 264,
      "timestamp": "2022-09-10T18:49:19-04:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 3,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2022-09-10T19:12:19-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "For fans outside the Stadium, the best shelter location is in your own car/ automobile. Do not approach the Stadium area as entry gates are closed.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568739175683301376",
      "sourceDescription": "@UMichAthletics on X (verbatim outside-fans shelter guidance)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official @UMichAthletics status 1568739175683301376.",
        "Preserves \"car/ automobile\" spacing as transmitted."
      ],
      "characterCount": 147
    },
    {
      "sequence": 4,
      "type": "update",
      "timestampApprox": "Evening, approximately 7:24 PM EDT on September 10, 2022",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update: Kickoff has been delayed. Game time will be announced once determined. \n\nMichigan Stadium gates remain closed. They will open between 30 minutes and 1 hour prior to game time.\n\nStay Tuned and #GoBlue",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568742143795122176",
      "sourceDescription": "@UMichAthletics on X (verbatim weather delay update)",
      "annotations": [
        "Corrected to exact full text from official @UMichAthletics status 1568742143795122176.",
        "Preserves trailing space after period in first sentence and line breaks as transmitted."
      ],
      "characterCount": 207,
      "timestamp": "2022-09-10T19:24:07-04:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 5,
      "type": "update",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Weather Update: Stadium Gates will open at approximately 8:30 pm.\n\nTonight’s game will start approximately 30 minutes after gate opening\n\nStay Tuned. #GoBlue",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceDescription": "@UMichAthletics on X (verbatim gates-reopen weather update)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official @UMichAthletics status 1568755439915126785 including curly apostrophe in Tonight’s and original newlines."
      ],
      "characterCount": 157,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568755439915126785",
      "timestamp": "2022-09-10T20:16:57-04:00"
    }
  ],
  "context": "Michigan Stadium, the largest stadium in the United States, cannot shelter its roughly 110,000-capacity crowd, so its severe-weather plan relies on moving fans to the concourse and to nearby buildings such as the Indoor Track Building and Crisler Center. On September 10, 2022, isolated storms and [lightning near the stadium delayed the Michigan-Hawaii opener](https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/news/michigan-hawaii-weather-delay-lightning/), with Michigan announcing the kickoff delay at about 7:24 p.m. EDT ET and ultimately resetting it to roughly [9 p.m. ET](https://www.on3.com/college/michigan-wolverines/news/michigan-football-announces-new-kickoff-time-vs-hawaii-amid-weather-delay-lightning/). The Wolverines [won the weather-delayed game 56-10](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-wins-weather-delayed-game). The episode echoed earlier lightning disruptions at the venue, including the [first-ever weather delay in 2006 and the called 2011 Western Michigan game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Stadium) that forced the evacuation of more than 110,000 fans.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Michigan clears the seating bowl when lightning is detected within 10 miles, a stricter trigger than the NCAA 8-mile minimum",
    "With no shelter for its full crowd, Michigan Stadium routes fans to the concourse and to the Indoor Track Building and Crisler Center",
    "The delay pushed a planned afternoon/early-evening kickoff to roughly 9 p.m. ET, gates reopening near 8:30 p.m. EDT ET",
    "The first two messages are verbatim from the official @UMichAthletics X account; only the final all-clear remains reconstructed"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Michigan Athletics on X: lightning detected within 10 miles, clear the field/seating bowl (Sept 10, 2022)",
      "url": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568733387271159809",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "Michigan Athletics on X: stadium gates to reopen at approximately 8:30 pm (Sept 10, 2022)",
      "url": "https://twitter.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568742143795122176",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "Michigan vs. Hawai'i facing weather delay due to lightning - On3",
      "url": "https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/news/michigan-hawaii-weather-delay-lightning/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Michigan football announces new kickoff time vs. Hawaii amid weather delay - On3",
      "url": "https://www.on3.com/college/michigan-wolverines/news/michigan-football-announces-new-kickoff-time-vs-hawaii-amid-weather-delay-lightning/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Michigan wins weather-delayed game - FOX Sports",
      "url": "https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-wins-weather-delayed-game",
      "type": "national-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Michigan Stadium - Wikipedia",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Stadium",
      "type": "reference"
    },
    {
      "title": "@UMichAthletics on X (verbatim weather delay update)",
      "url": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568742143795122176",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@UMichAthletics outside-fans shelter post",
      "url": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568739175683301376",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@UMichAthletics gates reopen weather update",
      "url": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568755439915126785",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@UMichAthletics on X status 1568714764368646145",
      "url": "https://x.com/UMichAthletics/status/1568714764368646145",
      "type": "official-social"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "severe-storm",
    "lightning",
    "weather-delay",
    "stadium",
    "michigan",
    "game-day",
    "evacuation"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-28",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-18",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}