For the second time in the first month of the 2024 college football season, West Virginia is dealing with a weather-related delay.
The Mountaineers’ game against Kansas on Saturday was halted with 10:43 left in the fourth quarter due to lightning and inclement weather in the Morgantown, West Virginia area.
The Milan Puskar Stadium in West Virginia was evacuated and spectators were asked via the stadium’s giant screen to seek shelter in the concourse, in restrooms, in the nearby training hall or in their vehicles.
Coach Neal Brown’s team is used to such interruptions. West Virginia’s season-opening loss to Penn State (34-12) was postponed for more than two hours due to lightning strikes in the region.
The host Mountaineers trail Kansas 21-17 in a matchup between two Big 12 teams with 1-2 records, with both teams desperately needing a win to turn their season around.
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Weather updates for West Virginia and Kansas
All times Eastern Time.
15:17: The wait for play to resume could be a long one. West Virginia announced just before 3 p.m. that the area would experience lightning for 90 minutes, according to Mike Casazza of 247Sports. Once the lightning clears, there will be a 30-minute wait before play can resume.
15:14: Although the lake is east of Morgantown, a severe weather warning is still in effect for Cheat Lake until 3:30 p.m. According to the National Weather Service, wind speeds in the area have increased to up to 70 miles per hour.
15:04: The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has issued a severe weather warning for the area east of Morgantown, including nearby Cheat Lake.
14:56.: Here’s a better look at the weather in the area, courtesy of Kansas City meteorologist Mike Nicco.
