What To Do In A Lightning Storm
Lightning is an awesome force of nature. It can strike almost anywhere causing a wide variety of damage.
Here are tips for what to expect and what to do in case of a storm that produces lightning.
Background on Lightning
Lightning is beautiful yet deadly. Lightning strikes somewhere on the planet about one hundred times a second. Lightning comes from thunderstorms. It is an electrical discharge from the thunderstorm. The buildup of the electricity in the clouds of a thunderstorm becomes large and the subsequent discharge forms a bolt of lightning. Thunderstorms form when moisture and rapidly rising warm air are pushed together with a force such as wind or a breeze commonly called in weather terminology, a cold front. All thunderstorms contain lightning but not all lightning can be seen. Some lightning is above the cloud tops. But the most damaging lightning occurs below the clouds. Lightning is extremely hot reaching temperatures of more than 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The sound, called thunder, forms from the rapid changes of temperature and moisture around the lightning. This change causes vibrations in the air and causes the explosive sound.
Lightning is deadly. It causes millions of dollars of damage each year and results in, on average, seventy-five to one hundred deaths each year. It commonly is the cause of forest fires and house fires. Most damage and deaths can be prevented by simple safety measures.
What to do in a Lightning Storm
Since a thunderstorm always contains lightning and these storms occur at a rate of about 1,800 at any moment on the surface of the planet, there is always a need for safety from these storms. Here are some tips for what to do in a lightning storm.
The best tip for any given area is to be prepared for a storm. Be sure to know the weather in your area. Be on the watch out for thunderstorms. Tall dark clouds usually indicate a thunderstorm may be approaching. If you hear distant thunder, be alert for the possibility of lightning coming near your area.
Outdoors
Lightning naturally is attracted to tall objects such as tall buildings, trees and tall poles like flag poles and telephone poles. Lightning occurs because of negative and positive electrical differences. The clouds are negatively charged whereas the objects such as tree tops and flag poles are positively charged. These come together in the streak we call lightning. Avoid these objects when a lightning storm occurs. Get inside a building or a car when the storm happens. This can save your life. If you cannot get to a building or car, go to an open space and get as low to the ground as possible. If you are in a forest, find lower clumps of trees. Never stand under a lone tree. That tree is a target and so are you if you are near the tree. Lightning can bounce off objects and if you are near a tree, it can bounce off the tree and injure you.
Never be near water such as ponds, rivers and lakes. Water is a conductor meaning it produces and holds electrical charges. It can further the damage you could receive from lightning. If you ever feel your hair stand on end, bend down toward the ground with your hands on your knees. Do not lie completely on the ground. This hair raising could indicate that lightning is about to strike you.
Indoors
Being indoors is the safest place to be but can still be targets in a lightning storm. Avoid metal such as metal chairs, bathtubs and other items. Stay away from the baths and anywhere that metal and water is because the pipes that are metal can conduct the lightning and electricity through them. Avoid being near televisions and any other electrical equipment such as computers and radios. They are dangerous because they can also conduct electricity through their electrical lines. Many people put lightning rods on their houses. These rods do not necessarily attract the lightning to them but provide a better path to the ground. The rods are connected to a wire that leads to a conductive grid in the ground nearby somewhere. It thus carries the lightning bolt safely away from material in the house that would be damaged by the heat of the bolt.
Other Tips and Facts:
- A car is safe because the lightning travels around the metal curvature of the outside of a car not because the tires act as an insulator (not conductive).
- It is common to believe that lightning never strikes the same place twice. However, this is false. Lightning has struck the Empire State building many hundreds of times. It would be better to say that lightning never strikes in the same exact way perhaps.
- A person who has been struck by lightning does not carry an electrical charge so it is safe to help them. They must be helped immediately because most likely they have severe burns from the lightning’s intense heat.
- Some people are directly struck by the lightning bolt. However, some are actually hurt by lightning that jumps or runs along the ground. By being aware of this and avoiding a thunderstorm and the potential for a lightning strike, injury becomes less likely.
The best tip for what to do in a lightning storm is be aware of the potential for a lightning strike. Know the weather, get indoors and wait the storm out. Have safety precautions such as a disaster supply kit, a radio that runs on batteries and a good handy flashlight.
Author: Katina Lewis
About Author: Katina Lewis is a freelance writer. She is an avid storm watcher and photographer.