Tracking Storms At Jones Beach

After a June 14th show featuring R.E.M. at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, N.Y., was evacuated for nearly two hours when lightning struck a lightning rod during Modest Mouse’s set, the venue is now installing a new computer system for tracking approaching storms.

The system is being installed at the park police substation at the theatre and within the venue to monitor the weather.

The policy at Jones Beach Theatre is to monitor the weather and suspend, postpone or cancel a show if lightning comes close but because of complaints about misinformation with the R.E.M. delay, parks regional director Ronald Foley told Newsday, "We’re going to have a better post-incident communication process."

Lightning apparently struck as officials prepared to announce the decision to evacuate the theatre during Modest Mouse’s opening set. R.E.M. performed about two hours later. Fans waited in their cars and enclosed sections of the venue.