Lightning Safety

We all have memories of watching lightning storms. Lightning has excited, scared, and amazed us. We can not help but be astounded by the beauty and sheer power of lightning. While some of us love lightning storms there are some of us who are terrified of them and even fewer who really understand lightning and how to stay safe during a storm.

Lightning is actually one of the primary causes for weather related deaths with floods being the number one. It causes an average of 58 deaths per year and causes more than 300 injuries per year. A lot of people don’t realize how dangerous lightning can be because it typically causes individual deaths as opposed to killing several people at once like hurricanes, tornados, or floods. The damage caused by lightning is also quite minimal compared to these other acts of God, which only adds to the misconception that lightning is not that dangerous.

A lot of these unnecessary deaths could be avoided if more individuals understood how dangerous storms can be, as well as understanding how lightning works. It is not just important to know that lightning is dangerous though. It is important to know how to be safe during a lightning storm.

One of the first things to remember about lightning is its extreme power. The upstroke of a lightning strike is capable of reaching temperatures in excess of 55,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That is approximately five times hotter than the surface of the sun is estimated to be. These temperatures are hot enough to cause anything with moisture such as wood or concrete to literally explode. It will also cause metal objects to melt or even vaporize. And the average peak power generated by a bolt of lightning is around 10¹² watts.

Unfortunately, due to how we see it portrayed in movies, TV shows, or other forms of media, some believe that being struck by lightning is not that bad. In the movie Twister you can even hear the characters talking about what it would be like to be struck:

Rabbit: Y’know, in a severe lightning storm, you want to grab your ankles and stick your butt in the air.
Haynes: He’s right. If you’re gonna get hit it’s the safest orifice.
Joey: Yeah, I’d like to get struck by lightning once, y’know, see what it’s like.

This is obviously a bad idea. Even if the lightning victim survives the strike, the vast majority of survivors suffer long-term or even permanent side-effects.

After realizing how dangerous lightning can be it is important to figure out when you are in danger and how to avoid these situations. It is important to keep in mind that lightning has incredibly long range. An average lightning bolt is 6-8 miles long and capable of traveling 25-40 miles before striking the ground. Since you can usually only hear lighting between 2 to 12 miles away or closer, the moment you hear thunder or see lightning, you are in immediate danger. Its reach is so long that people have reportedly been struck by lightning while there was no cloud cover. Additionally lightning can actually travel for short distances through the ground so the strike can be lethal from about 60 ft away through the ground and 600 ft in water.

The safest place to be during a lighting storm is inside your home or a building. Do not use any appliances or anything else that is plugged into an outlet or phone line. You should also unplug any unnecessary items as soon as possible including computers. While some surge protectors will work like they are supposed to this is not always the case. Even if it protects against the electrical surge very few of these devices offer any protection against the magnetic field generated by a lighting strike. Failure to unplug electrical devices could lead to electrical fire.

Also avoid contact with anything that conducts electricity. Metal and water are really good conductors so it should go without saying but, do not take a shower or wash your hands. Even though your pipes and wires may be underground, as previously stated, lightning will travel for short distances through the ground. If pipes or wires happen to be near the point of contact with the ground then the lightning will be able to reach those conductors.

Keep the windows and blinds closed as well and stay away from them. While it is unlikely that someone would be struck on the inside of the house through the window, it is possible for the lightning to cause the window to shatter, potentially causing injury to anyone who is too close.

If you happen to be outside during a storm, get inside and follow the above advice. If you can not get inside, then the safest place to be is going to be inside a hardtop metal car. This should provide enough protection. Once inside, roll the windows up and keep your hands in your lap. A lot of people assume that it is the rubber tires that keep the occupants safe from harm. This is a myth. Rubber tires or shoes do nothing to protect against a lightning strike. It is actually the metal shell, functioning as a faraday cage, which keeps anybody inside the car safe. This technique does not work as well if the vehicle has a plastic shell like certain Saturn vehicles and various sports cars. It also does not work as well if the occupant is handling anything connected to the exterior. This especially applies to electronics such as the radio.

Sometimes it is not possible to get to shelter. In those situations avoid tall trees and open structures such as gazebos or car ports. Due to their open design, these structures do not offer adequate protection and may actually attract lightning and put you at greater risk. Researchers advise that the safest place to be outside is away from tall or lone trees. It is suggested that your best bet is to choose a more open area and stay as low to the ground as possible while touching the ground as little as possible. Squat on the balls of your feet to ensure that you are maintaining minimal contact with the ground and keeping a low profile. If you are in a group, spread apart so that you are at least 60ft. from each other. You should stay this distance apart so if someone in your party is struck by lightning the others will be able to give first aid and call for assistance.

It is a good idea to keep in mind that following this advice does not guarantee your safety. Scientists are constantly discovering new information about how lightning works. The information contained in this article merely helps the reader to be prepared and increase their chances of survival.

Tags: Outdoor Safety