University of Hawaii and Aloha Stadium officials are monitoring lightning Thursday afternoon, hoping it doesn’t get close enough to suspend the start of UH’s season-opening football game against Colorado scheduled for a 7:04 p.m. kickoff.

If lightning strikes are detected within eight miles of the stadium, UH athletic director David Matlin will be notified, and Matlin would then inform the game’s head official who would suspend play, Matlin said in a text this afternoon.

“At six miles we clear the field and stands and wait for a 30-minute period,” Matlin said.

After that, if there are no hits within eight miles play can continue.

Around 1:30 p.m., heavy rain, lightning and thunder pounded Oahu after moderate off-and-on rain near the stadium earlier in the day.