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Rutgers football weather forecast: Will potential storms impact game vs. Miami of Ohio?

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The second Saturday of the 2025 season will be a wet one at Rutgers.

Will it be a long day, too?

There is a high chance of showers and potential thunderstorms in the forecast for Saturday afternoon in Piscataway, when the Scarlet Knights (1-0) are set to host Miami of Ohio (0-1) at SHI Stadium.

While the rain will almost certainly not impact the contest — Rutgers played through a lot of rain in its 2023 win over Michigan State, for example — the rest of the ugly weather could.

NCAA guidelines stipulate a 30-minute delay if there is lightning within an eight-mile radius of a stadium, and the clock resets if there is another strike within that time period.

According to the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook, “to resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and last flash of lightning.’’

Here is the rule on suspending play in the NCAA rulebook:

ARTICLE 3. a. The referee may suspend the game temporarily when conditions warrant such action. b. When the game is stopped by actions of a person(s) not subject to the rules or for any other reasons not in the rules and cannot continue, the referee shall:1. Suspend play and direct the players to their team areas. 2. Refer the problem to those responsible for the game’s management. 3. Resume the game when he determines conditions are satisfactory.c. If a game is suspended under Rules 3-3-3-a and b before the end of the fourth period and cannot be resumed, there are four possible options: 1. Resume the game at a later date; 2. Terminate the game with a determined final score; 3. Forfeit of the game; or4. Declare a no contest.

Rutgers has not been part of a game with a weather delay since 2017, when it waited for nearly two hours in Bloomington during a blowout loss to Indiana.

Here is the forecast from the NWS:

Saturday

A chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. High near 88. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then showers likely. Low around 60. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

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