Beyoncé Concert In D.C. Suburb Highlights Complex Weather Challenges

Forbes Innovation Science Beyoncé Concert In D. C. Suburb Highlights Complex Weather Challenges Marshall Shepherd Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Following Aug 8, 2023, 11:46am EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – MAY 10: (Editorial Use Only) (Exclusive Coverage) Beyoncé performs onstage . . .

[+] during the opening night of the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at Friends Arena on May 10, 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Parkwood) Getty Images for Parkwood Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z has a very clever lyric in a song about “flying first class to change the forecast. ” However, one of his wife’s concerts at FedEx Field in the Washington D.

C. suburb of Landover, Maryland could not avoid the weather. The August 6th show on Beyoncé’s highly successful Renaissance World Tour encountered an array of weather-related complexities.

Let’s explore what happened. First off, I want to give major kudos to Beyoncé, her tour management and stadium officials for taking the lightning threat seriously. As an expert within the field of weather, it drives me crazy to see sporting or entertainment events ignore lightning.

I have lost count of the number of stadium scenes with fans sitting in their seats as cloud-to-ground lightning flashes all around. Oddly, many fans will only leave when it starts raining. The perception that being wet is worse than getting struck by lightning baffles me, but that is a discussion for another day.

CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 24: A tarp covers the field as rain and lightening delay the Houston Astros . . .

[+] game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field 24 August in Chicago, IL. Despite the delay the Astros defeated the Cubs 12-3. (Photo credit should read DANIEL LIPPITT/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images FedEx Field posted a message on X around 6:40 pm noting that lightning in the area forced a shelter in place order.

This was absolutely the most responsible thing to do. In 2018, the American Meteorological Society issued a statement on safety at outdoor venues. The statement noted, “Attendees are typically focused on the entertainer, activity, sports team, or event at hand, and less so on their surroundings.

Situational awareness can be compromised when hazardous weather threatens, and in the worst of cases, loss of life has occurred. ” Annually, dangerous weather kills attendees at concerts or sporting events and according to AMS, the litigation can get into the millions of dollars. MORE FOR YOU WWE Raw Results: Winners And Grades With SummerSlam 2023 Fallout BTS Member V Announces His Debut Solo Album ‘Layover’ Monday, August 7.

Russia’s War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine With lightning, some form of the “30-30” rule usually applies for resuming activities. Once you see lightning, start counting until you hear thunder. If the time elapsed is less than 30 seconds, the lightning is close enough to be a risk, and activities should resume 30 minutes or more after the last lightning flash is detected.

Most venues have some type of detection capability or access to a service which does. It was the lightning that prevented the show from resuming. Rainfall alone is not likely to stop a show.

In May, Taylor Swift performed during heavy rainall, but there was no lightning. Even when the lightning threat passed, Beyoncé delivered, by all accounts, an iconic performance as rain fell. Unfortunately, another aspect of weather reared its head – the heat.

The AMS statement goes on to say, “A common theme in the after-action reports and service assessments for these disasters is that the weather plan was inadequate to deal with a comprehensive portfolio of weather risk, or a weather plan didn’t exist. ” Multiple media outlets reported that some fans had to be treated for heat exhaustion. The compounded nature of this event was likely a planning challenge.

Sheltering from lightning was the right thing to do. However, tight spaces in the facility and a dangerous heat-humidity mix created a health hazard. By some heat index estimates , it felt like almost 100 degrees in Washington D.

C on August 6th. The mix of lightning sheltering and oppressive heat is a challenging situation. However, there are lessons for mitigation and adaptation planning for future compound events of this nature.

The AMS recommends: Use of professional meteorologists in venues. Advanced weather planning. Training so that staff knows its responsibilites Understanding of weather-safe spaces Clear mechanisms for communicating weather risks to patrons, staff, responders and so forth.

My daughter and a friend will see Beyoncé this weekend, but thankfully the venue in Atlanta is a dome with air conditioning. Follow me on Twitter . Check out my website .

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