Seven Hours at Kinnick: Three Consecutive Lightning Delays Turn Iowa's Saturday Night into a Midnight Marathon
·IA·severe stormadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat
Three separate lightning delays totaling 3 hours and 56 minutes transformed Iowa's home game against Nevada on September 17, 2022, into one of the longest nights in Kinnick Stadium history, with mandatory evacuations of the seating bowl ordered for each stoppage. The Daily Iowan reported that the bowl was cleared all three times, sending fans to the concourses as the game stretched from a 6:40 PM kickoff to a 1:39 AM finish. Iowa defeated Nevada 27-0 to move to 3-0.
Alerts
5
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of Iowa
Public R1 · IA
~31,656 studentsUI Emergency Notification
Confirmed Timeline
Alert Sequence
5 messages in sequence
Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.
INITIAL ALERTPA System
Approximate reconstruction·253 chars
Lightning has been detected within 8 miles of Kinnick Stadium. The game is being suspended immediately. All fans in the seating bowl must evacuate to the concourse or seek shelter in a designated area. We will update you when the lightning clock clears.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
The first delay was announced at approximately 8:36 PM CDT with 10:02 remaining in the third quarter; this was roughly the same stadium evacuation protocol used in the 2011 game against Tennessee Tech, also Iowa's first in-game evacuation in about 20 years at the time.
Kinnick Stadium's concourses, supplemented by the UI Indoor Track, Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and Iowa Field House, serve as shelter locations during weather holds.
UPDATEPA System
Approximate reconstruction·117 chars
The lightning delay has ended. Fans may return to their seats. Play will resume shortly. Thank you for your patience.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
The first delay lasted approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (8:36 PM to 9:56 PM CDT); play resumed briefly with 10:02 remaining in the third quarter before a second lightning strike triggered a second suspension 11 minutes later at 10:07 PM CDT.
UPDATEPA System
Approximate reconstruction·216 chars
Lightning has again been detected within 8 miles of Kinnick Stadium. Play is suspended again. All fans in the seating bowl must return to the concourse or a shelter area immediately. We will update you in 30 minutes.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
The second delay was triggered at 10:07 PM CDT with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter, only 11 minutes after play had resumed from the first delay; this was the longest of the three delays, lasting approximately 1 hour and 51 minutes until just before midnight.
UPDATEPA System
Approximate reconstruction·125 chars
Lightning has cleared. Fans may return to their seats. The game will resume shortly with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
The second delay ended at approximately 11:55 PM CDT -- just before midnight -- after lasting about 1 hour and 51 minutes; play resumed briefly before a third and final delay was triggered at about 12:03 AM CDT with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter.
ALL CLEARPA System
Approximate reconstruction·181 chars
Lightning has cleared and we have an all-clear. Fans may return to their seats. The game will resume for the final time. Thank you for your extraordinary patience tonight. Go Hawks!
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
The third delay lasted approximately 48 minutes (roughly 12:03 AM to 12:51 AM CDT); the game finished at approximately 1:39 AM CDT on September 18, nearly seven hours after the 6:40 PM CDT kickoff -- described as the longest, weirdest night in Kinnick Stadium history.
Iowa won 27-0, ending its non-conference schedule 3-0 and heading into Big Ten play; attendance was not reported after all three evacuation rounds.
01Three separate lightning delays totaling 3 hours and 56 minutes -- the most documented multi-delay sequence at Kinnick Stadium on record
02The seating bowl was evacuated three separate times; fans returned and were asked to leave again twice
03Game ran from 6:40 PM CDT kickoff to 1:39 AM CDT finish -- a span of nearly seven hours for a complete game
04Iowa's protocol requires shelter at the concourse for any lightning within 8 miles and a clear 30-minute window before resumption; each new strike restarts the clock
Outcome
Iowa won 27-0 in a game that ran from 6:40 PM CDT to 1:39 AM CDT -- nearly seven hours from start to finish.