The start of high school football season comes at the hottest time of year for many regions across the United States. One of the hottest states in the bunch is Florida, which like many parts of the country, has experienced extreme weather and heat throughout the summer. At one point last month, Florida’s waters were measured to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Playing any sport in these conditions is risky, especially one as intense as football – to say nothing of the added burdens of wearing helmets, pads and uniforms. The heat may affect the start of the 2023 season, slated for this coming weekend for many schools.
According to Dan DeLuca at the Fort Myers News-Press, some Florida high school football games may be delayed or postponed if the heat exceeds certain thresholds.
“At 82 degrees or below on the wet bulb, athletic practices and games can be held without restrictions. Up to 86.9 degrees, they can proceed with discretion. At 87 degrees or higher, practice times are limited, rest breaks are increased and football players are instructed to remove some protective equipment, which would result in game delays. A wet bulb temperature above 92 degrees means all outdoor activities are suspended and cannot resume until temperatures cool.”
The first major game in the state will come on Saturday, Aug. 26, between two top-ten national teams from the 2022 season in St. Frances (Md.) and Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.).
That contest will be broadcast live on ESPN from Ft. Lauderdale. Google’s forecast for the day is currently showing a predicted temperature of 88 degrees to go with 77% humidity. That comes out to a wet bulb temperature of 81.92. Kickoff is at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time.
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