Cyclones v Tornado: What's the Plan if Severe Weather Strikes During Saturday's ISU v. Kansas State Game?

The number of Cyclones in Ames is guaranteed to jump with the approaching football game against Kansas State. Whether Ames will see a cyclone of the Mother Nature variety remains to be seen.

Meteorologists have indicated since Tuesday that severe weather is possible and the City of Ames and Iowa State University officials are planning for the worst. A warm front is expected to move through the area early Saturday morning setting the stage for funnel clouds.

“We know they predicted it, but it's weather, so who knows what's going to happen?” said Nick Britton of ISU's event management.

In 2005, officials learned the Friday before a Nov. 12 game against Colorado that severe weather and possible thunderstorms were on the way.

City and school officials met to discuss how they would handle a potential threat.

“Tornadoes were not even in the picture as far as the forecast went,” said Rob Bowers, ISU Police deputy chief.

It wasn't until Saturday (game day) that officials learned that tornados were a possibility, he said.

On that day, Bowers and others who were monitoring the radar started to take action about 15 minutes before the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning.

Stadium Evacuated During 2005 Game Day

The gates to the stadium had just opened and attendees and tailgaters were told to seek shelter under the stadium's concourse, at nearby Hilton Coliseum and other university buildings such as the College of Veterinary Medicine. The stadium was evacuated, but many people hadn't entered the gates, Britton said.

Bowers estimated that 13,000 people sought shelter in university buildings, while many others continued tailgating.

Bowers said then, as now, they are not able to force adults to seek shelter.

Available radar showed the storm tracking northwest of Ames.

Bowers stood in the command center at the press tower, a reinforced shelter and watched as the tornado touched down about 3 miles northwest of Ames. Bowers said he was prepared to seek shelter, but hadn't yet.

There's a certain point when officers will leave the area and seek shelter, even if thousands of others will not.

“If we show up on a scene and we get hurt, we can't help the people who we are supposed to help,” Bowers said.

The 2005 tornado skirted Ames, delaying the kickoff of the Colorado game by 45 minutes.

Saturday's game against Kansas State is considered a sellout crowd. So more than 55,000 people could be in the stadium for the 11 a.m. kickoff and thousands more will tailgate in surrounding lots.

Britton said everyone who grew up in Iowa knows what to do if severe weather moves through.

“Be safe,” Britton warned and follow best practices.

Public safety, the athletic department and city officials planned to discuss the coming storms Thursday afternoon and will again on Friday.

Referees Control Game Play During Storms

The control of the game from kickoff until the last second on the clock is left to the game officials wearing the black and white stripes.

Both the Big 12 and the NCAA have official rules for how play is handled in the event of a storm and referees rely on public safety and the University's meteorology department for information.

As for Saturday, Bowers advises people to monitor the weather at home throughout the rest of the week.

“We are hoping that people are able to enjoy the game, and the weather holds, and everything works well,” Bowers said.