Campus Alert Archive
Purdue

900-Plus Lightning Strikes Empty Ross-Ade Stadium Before Purdue-USC

INevacuationadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

Severe storms with more than 900 lightning strikes and 1.25 inches of rain forced the evacuation of Ross-Ade Stadium ahead of Purdue's game against USC, with teams pulled from the field at 3:11 p.m. ET and fans sent to nearby buildings. Fans were directed to Mackey Arena, Holloway Gymnasium and Lambert Fieldhouse during a delay that lasted more than three hours.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Purdue University
Public R1 · IN
~53,000 studentsPurdue ALERT
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 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 reconstruction273 chars
Due to lightning in the area, today's game is suspended and Ross-Ade Stadium is being evacuated. Please exit the seating bowl and seek shelter at Mackey Arena, Holloway Gymnasium or Lambert Fieldhouse. Play cannot resume until lightning is clear of the area for 30 minutes.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Teams were pulled from the field at 3:11 p.m. ET as a lightning sighting within 10 miles triggered an automatic 30-minute delay; Purdue names Mackey Arena, Holloway Gymnasium and Lambert Fieldhouse as shelter.
Reconstructed from press accounts of the in-stadium order; no verbatim official archive was located.
UPDATETwitter/X
Approximate reconstruction259 chars
The Purdue vs. USC game remains in a weather delay. Lightning continues in the area and is resetting the delay clock. Please stay sheltered at Mackey Arena, Holloway Gymnasium or Lambert Fieldhouse. We will update with a resumption time as soon as it is safe.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Over 900 lightning strikes followed the initial stoppage, with 1.25 inches of rain, repeatedly resetting the 30-minute clock and stretching the delay past three hours.
Reconstructed wording; isVerbatimConfirmed false.
ALL CLEARTwitter/X
Approximate reconstruction144 chars
Weather has cleared. Ross-Ade Stadium is reopening and play will resume. Fans may return to their seats. Thank you for your patience. Boiler Up!

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Genuine all-clear: reopens the stadium and resumes play after a delay lasting more than three hours, rather than maintaining shelter.
Reconstructed text; the exact official wording was not preserved.
Context

Background

Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette evacuates when lightning is sighted within 10 miles, an automatic trigger of a 30-minute delay that resets with each strike. On September 13, 2025, the 3:30 p.m. ET matchup against USC was disrupted when teams were pulled at 3:11 p.m. ET and fans were evacuated to nearby buildings. The Purdue Exponent reported over 900 lightning strikes and 1.25 inches of rain, and Yahoo Sports reported the game finally began after a delay lasting over three hours, with fans directed to Mackey Arena, Holloway Gymnasium and Lambert Fieldhouse.
Analysis

Key Findings

More than 900 lightning strikes and 1.25 inches of rain accompanied the evacuation
Purdue evacuates when lightning is within 10 miles, with a 30-minute clock that resets on each strike
Fans sheltered at Mackey Arena, Holloway Gymnasium and Lambert Fieldhouse during a 3-plus-hour delay
Alert text is reconstructed from press reporting, so it carries isVerbatimConfirmed: false
Outcome
After a delay of more than three hours, play resumed and the game was completed; the stadium was evacuated and fans sheltered at Mackey Arena, Holloway Gymnasium and Lambert Fieldhouse.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    Rain at Ross-Ade delays game for hours - Purdue Exponent
    purdueexponent.org
  2. national media
    Purdue football game vs USC delayed, Ross-Ade Stadium evacuated - Yahoo Sports
    sports.yahoo.com
  3. national media
    Purdue football game vs USC begins after weather delay lasting over 3 hours - Yahoo Sports
    sports.yahoo.com
Tags
evacuationsevere-stormlightningweather-delaystadiumindianagame-day
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion