Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Increasing flash flood threat looms in Texas as heat scorches recovery zone. Click for details Chevron right

Ashburn, VA

75°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Ashburn

Virginia

75°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Ashburn, VA Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Kids love ’em, but they can be dangerous

A new study examining wind’s impact on a favorite childhood pastime hopes to raise awareness among parents of how quickly a popular backyard activity can turn disastrous.

By Thomas Leffler, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Aug 23, 2022 4:43 PM EDT | Updated Aug 23, 2022 4:43 PM EDT

Copied

With summer still in full swing, outdoor occasions such as birthday parties have families always scrambling for entertainment options for youngsters. One of the classic creative party attractions is the inflatable bounce house, a gateway for galloping children to unleash their energy.

While the bounce house may seem like a no-brainer for a sunny day, windy conditions could turn a fun time into a potential disaster, according to a new study. The American Meteorological Society recently went in-depth into the relationship between the colorful nylon castles and the winds that can make them unstable and send them airborne, using the study as a caution for bounce house use.

“Winds that would be characterized by the public as a breezy day are able to push these things over, make them roll, and depending on the situation, even lift them into the air,” University of Georgia Professor John Knox, who specializes in atmospheric hazards, told AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor.

Children have fun in backyard bounce houses, but parents should be cautious about the effect wind can have on the inflatables. (Photo via Getty Images)

Knox, along with several other scholars, put together the report to point out the safety concerns surrounding bounce houses, specifically regarding wind, so parents and others are more aware. Indeed, what some may consider light winds could carry a heavy toll on the blow-up constructions.

Looking at 132 wind-related bounce house incidents from January 2000 through December 2021, the study showed that these incidents led to 28 deaths and 479 injuries. About half of the incidents took place on days with winds less than 25 mph, while around a third of them took place with winds of less than 20 mph present.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

  •  Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+

Even more injuries, the researchers noted, are most likely unaccounted for, with victims not even using the bounce house in some cases.

Bounce houses have become a summer party staple but leave concerns on how to keep the fun going safely amid wind gusts. (Photo via Getty Images)

“There was a case in Southern California where a bounce house was picked up and blown onto a highway and caused a crash,” Thomas Gill, a professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, told Victor. “There was another case where a bounce house was picked up and blown into power lines and caused a power outage.”

Only 19 states use the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards stating the maximum wind speeds (25 mph) at which people should put a kibosh into bounce house use. A total of 17 states have zero guidelines regarding bounce house use. Other ASTM standards touch on topics such as prohibiting placing bounce houses near tree branches, power lines or fences, as well as stressing that children should always be supervised by an adult during play.

Tips for proper usage of the inflatables include having the houses properly secured to the ground, as well as making sure the house is deflated when not in use. Anemometers, which are gauges of wind speed and direction, are also recommended.

“Have fun at bounce houses, they’re great, (but) you have to be vigilant in terms of safety,” Knox told Victor. “Most people don’t have a handheld anemometer right there at the bounce house, and maybe they need to.”

READ MORE HERE:

Recreation Woman, 88, killed in alligator attack while gardening
Recreation How realistic were the flying scenes in the new 'Top Gun' movie?
Climate Student designs device to help solve one of Earth’s biggest problems

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues

Jul. 12, 2025
Hurricane

Tropical trouble in the Atlantic may brew into next week

Jul. 12, 2025
Weather News

Flash flooding swamps Iowa Quad Cities as storms unleash damaging rain

Jul. 12, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Thunderstorms fuel increasing flash flooding threat in Texas

11 hours ago

Weather News

Engine fuel supply cut just before Air India jet crash, report says

15 hours ago

Weather News

Texas Hill Country: Before, during and after the flood

16 hours ago

Weather News

Flash flooding swamps Iowa Quad Cities as storms unleash damaging rain

13 hours ago

Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

11 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

1 day ago

Weather News

Viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates her first birthday

1 day ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

1 day ago

Business

Samsung is looking into more AI devices potentially including earrings...

1 day ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

2 days ago

AccuWeather Weather News Kids love ’em, but they can be dangerous
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...