Baseball Oshawa does its best to eliminate unnecessary travel due to poor weather, but it is not a perfect science. The weather is often unpredictable. It is critical that players, coaches and umpires go to scheduled games unless otherwise notified. On game days, the following is how decision-making unfolds.

Baseball Oshawa will communicate cancellations and postponements made before arrival at the field through the SportsEngine app.

On game day, the City of Oshawa may choose to revoke Baseball Oshawa's field permits up until 4 p.m. This typically occurs due to unplayable field conditions as a result of previous or current weather. The City may also update the status of the fields here. Should the permits be revoked, Baseball Oshawa will provide immediate notice to all participants that games are cancelled.

If this does not happen, the House League Executive will continue to monitor weather and will send out a notification to all participants as late as 30 minutes before game time if it is determined that game cancellation is warranted. If a rain event has occurred, this often means we are out surveying field conditions, so please be patient for this messaging. 

This may be due to excessive rain on fields, thunderstorms, or extreme heat (see last section for more on heat). Note that if no message is received from Baseball Oshawa, players, coaches and umpires should plan to attend their regularly scheduled game.

Once at the diamond, it is at the discretion of coaches to cancel the game if they feel the field is not safe, or to delay/cancel if there is thunder and lightning. This may vary at different fields and in different parts of the City.

During the game, coaches and umpires will collectively decide on the safety of the field and weather conditions, and may choose to stop the game at any time. If present, umpire(s) will make the final decision, in accordance with the Baseball Ontario Lightning Policy (see below for general outline).

Baseball Oshawa follows Environment Canada guidelines with respect to lightning and thunder safety:

1. Take shelter immediately if you can hear thunder or see lightning. If you cannot find a sturdy, fully enclosed building with wiring and plumbing, get into a metal-roofed vehicle. Each player should get into their respective parent/guardian vehicle, or another vehicle if previously agreed upon. PLEASE DO NOT JUST STAND AROUND THE DIAMOND WAITING.

2. Wait 30 minutes after the last lightning and rumble of thunder before leaving shelter. Half of all lightning deaths occur after the storm passes. Stay in a safe area until you are sure the threat has passed.

Coaches/Umpires: please use Environment Canada's Canadian Lightning Danger Map to help guide the decision of proceeding with or cancelling practices/games. This map shows red areas that are most at risk of having lightning strike the ground in the next 10 minutes. Watch how to use it here.

You should know: Direct strikes are responsible for only 5% of lightning-related deaths and injuries. Two other types of hazardous phenomena are caused by lightning. Ground current and side flash account for 60 to 80% of lightning-related injuries and deaths. A ground current is set up when lightning hits the ground, spreads out and sends a current through a victim. Side splash occurs when lightning hits a tall object, travels partly down the object and then jumps to a nearby victim.

It’s not necessarily a direct lightning strike that will injure or kill a person. During a lightning storm, the atmosphere becomes electrified. Lightning streamers from the ground are trying to connect up with the lightning strike making its way down to the ground. If these streamers form on a fence/lamp post or a person at the game, damage can occur to a person's nervous system and brain. People can recover from this close encounter with lightning but it can also lead to fatalities or lifelong damage.

With the heart of summer comes intense heat. All players should arrive at games and practices pre-hydrated (on especially hot nights) and with sunscreen already applied, and with plenty of cold water.

Regardless of the temperature, coaches and parents should monitor players for signs of heat exhaustion, including dizziness, headache, fatigue, tremors, muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, or an irregular heartbeat. If a player experiences a throbbing headache, vomiting, and a rapid, strong pulse, these may indicate heat stroke. In such cases, call 911 immediately and begin cooling the player while waiting for medical help.

Please refer to the following zones for guidance on playing in the heat. These zones are based on the humidex—the “feels like” temperature, which factors in humidity. Humidex can be found on most weather websites under “Feels Like,” or through Environment Canada’s forecast.

White Zone (18ºC - 26ºC)

No special measures need to be taken, aside from regular hydration and sunscreen application.

Yellow Zone (27ºC - 35ºC)

Players should begin hydrating 1–2 hours before arriving at the field.
Coaches should ensure frequent hydration breaks and encourage player rotation during games, practices, and events.

Orange Zone (36ºC - 38ºC)

All measures in the Yellow Zone apply. In addition:

Limit catchers to no more than 2 consecutive innings, unless the coach determines a player can safely continue with close monitoring.

Adjust House League event/game lengths:
5U–7U: reduce by 15 minutes
8U–11U games: reduce by 20 minutes

For 8U and above, coaches should shorten practices based on team discussion.

Red Zone (39ºC - 42ºC)

All 5U–7U events will be cancelled. Notifications will be sent to coaches and families.

Yellow and Orange Zone measures apply to all other divisions.

All games 8U and above will be reduced by 20 minutes.

Coaches must consult with parents/guardians and notify their Convenor of their decision to proceed or cancel.

Black Zone (43ºC+)

All House League practices and games will be cancelled, and a notification will be sent to coaches and parents/guardians.

Note

Humidex can fluctuate throughout the day due to wind, cloud cover, and sun exposure. As a result, zone status may change. For example, a 6:15 p.m. game may fall under the Orange Zone, while a later game could drop to Yellow. Coaches should check the forecast close to game time and apply the appropriate guidelines.

Ultimately, parents or guardians are responsible for deciding whether their child should participate, considering the child’s age, health, and tolerance for heat. Parents should also remind players of the importance of hydration, sun protection, and taking breaks in the shade.

Baseball Oshawa will send reminders to coaches and families when heat is expected to be a significant factor, and will issue updates if any cancellations are required due to extreme conditions.