Is it ok to swim during rain?

Dec 28, 2018

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Summary: It is ok, you can swim!

There is a saying that you will catch cold if you swim during rain. That is a popular reason given when people say you shouldn’t swim when it is raining.

Well, it is only 50% right.

So there must be a reason why our parents tell us not to go out on rainy days right? A lot of the time, people catch a cold after a rainy day. Is there really something bad about rain?

Get this right: Rain won’t make you sick, a weak immune system makes you sick

The reason why we say it is only 50% true is because rain indeed can trigger and facilitate you catching a cold.

When your body temperature drops, your immune system is weakened as well. Viruses and bacteria appear to be stronger when your immune system can’t defend you properly.

So when you take a shower, you don’t get sick. But exposure to rain for extended time, like hours, then yes, you might get sick.

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BUT it is NOT okay to swim in these situations:

There are times we will have leave the swimming pool, especially there is a safety concern. But rain isn’t one of them.

The list may go on, but we have listed the most common scenarios here.

Strong wind

When there is a strong wind around the area, it may lift some things into the sky which then fall and hit someone staying outdoors.

Well, we hope it is money, and the money falls from the sky! But most of the time it is not. Any hard object falling from certain height can be harmful and even fatal.

Lightning nearby (Even when there is no rain)

The main reason you can’t swim during a rainy day is usually lightning. Usually we will count how many seconds the lightning is away from us. If it is too near, everyone will need to leave the pool and find a shelter immediately.

Also, there are times when there is lightning, but it is not raining. We need to leave the pool as well under this scenario.

Heavy rain

We’ve just said it is ok to swim in the rain. But why do we leave when there is heavy rain? Because loud noises and reduced visibility caused by heavy rain make it harder for lifeguards & instructors to tell if you’re safe or not.

So we just won’t take the risk by letting you continue to swim.

Mosquito fogging in surrounding area

Obviously, fog / gas spraying is poisonous. The more you breathe in, the more damage it does.

So it is a definite no-no to swim when there is a fogging happening nearby.

Too many people in the pool!

When there are too many people in the pool, sweat, urine, body fluid provide nutrients for bacteria to grow. For the same reason you turn smelly after you sweat.

Though you may not be aware that you’re sweating in the swimming pool, it does happen.

Also, when a pool is crowded with kids, jumping into the pool may cause serious injury to swimmers who tend not to look above water that much.

The risk just skyrockets when there are too many people in the pool.

Pool turns green

When a swimming pool changes its color to green, it doesn’t mean it is a green light to swim. In fact, the change in color is cause by algae blooming in the pool, and more bacteria is in the pool.

The chance of you suffering from skin diseases increases if you swim in a green pool. A regularly maintained pool should be blue color with crystal clear water. That is safe water to swim in.

Conclusion: It is ok to swim during rain!

Hope this article has helped you to understand more about swimming in the rain, and when you need to leave the pool.

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