Each year, about 300 people in the U.S. are struck by lightning. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While roughly 90 percent of people survive their injuries, it’s still a good idea to stay away from one of nature’s most powerful forces. The best way to protect yourself is to not be outside when the sky is shining. Especially during peak hurricane months (late spring through summer in much of the US), always check the weather forecast before planning outdoor activities and plan for unexpected storms.
Storm intensity appears to be increasing with climate change, leading to shorter but more severe storms. That leads to a greater risk of more lightning and other potentially dangerous situations like flooding. in fact, In the US, lightning kills more people every year than floodsAnother danger of strong storms.
If you’re caught outside in a violent thunderstorm, consult the National Weather Service: “When it thunders, get indoors!” But there’s more to staying safe during a storm than just going inside. Finally, One-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors. To keep yourself and your family safe, note these things you should never do during a hurricane.
1. Take a bath or shower
Never take a bath or shower during a thunderstorm. If lightning strikes near you, the current can travel through the pipes in your home, putting you at risk of electrocution.
2. Sit on concrete
Never sit or lean on concrete during a storm. Concrete is almost always reinforced with metal rebar or wire mesh, and both are effective conductors of electricity.
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3. Use a corded phone
While it is safe to use a cell phone during a thunderstorm (if it is not plugged into a wall charger), it is not safe to use a corded phone. Electricity can travel through phone lines – and if it does, you could be electrocuted.
4. Stand in the open
You should never stand in the open during a thunderstorm. The safest place to stay is inside an enclosed building. If you’re caught outside, run as fast as you can to a hard-top car or a nearby building. If you have no other choice, lie low, with as little of your body touching the ground as possible. While crouching doesn’t actually protect you from injury, you will be less likely to be struck by lightning as it travels toward the ground.
5. Huddle together for safety
If you’re stuck outdoors with a group of people during a lightning storm, don’t huddle together to try to get out of the rain or wind. Instead, spread out at least 15 feet to minimize the chance of you all getting hit.
6. Stand under a tree
Standing under a tree in a storm is extremely dangerous. Because of their height, trees attract lightning as it travels to the ground. However, humans conduct lightning better than trees, so if you are close to a tree, lightning can easily jump from the tree to you.
7. Stand by the window
Stay well away from windows to avoid injury during thunderstorms. Many windows, old and new, are made of metal or have metal parts that can conduct electricity. Additionally, high winds during storms can blow objects into windows, shattering glass and potentially causing damage.
8. Keep the tech gear plugged in
Anything plugged into a Power strip Or your home outlet is at risk of damage from a power surge during a storm. If an electrical storm is forecast, unplug your computer, laptop, and other devices and consider unplugging the devices. At the very least, plug devices into a surge protector if they aren’t already, but understand that a surge protector may not withstand a lightning strike.
9. Sleep on the floor
You don’t want to be the tallest thing around if you’re caught outside in a thunderstorm, but in your efforts to make yourself shorter, don’t make the mistake of sleeping on the ground. When lightning strikes, electrical currents can travel more than 100 feet along the surface of the ground. By stretching out on the ground, you are making yourself a bigger target.
10. Wash the dishes
You shouldn’t Wash the dishes You shouldn’t shower during a thunderstorm for the same reason: lightning can travel through pipes, electrocuting your faucets and causing injury. This is a pitfall that’s easy to avoid: dishes can wait.
11. Use small appliances
A storm is not the time to iron, blow-dry your hair, or whip up a batch of meringue in an electric mixer. Any device plugged into an electrical outlet can be electrocuted, and you can be injured if you are handling or in close proximity to the device at the time.
12. Do the laundry
Your washer and dryer are plugged into outlets, which is the first strike against them. Another strike is that they are made of metal, so electricity can pass through them in the same way that it runs your toaster or blow dryer. You definitely don’t want to be near your washer and dryer during a storm, so give yourself a break Doing laundry And curl up with a good book instead.
13. Take a swim
Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, as are many structures around swimming pools, such as metal ladders and diving boards. The American Red Cross recommends The 30-30 rule: Leave the pool and take cover when the time between lightning and thunder is 30 seconds or less and remain under cover for 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning is seen and thunder is heard. Although no lightning-related fatalities have ever been documented at indoor pools, many organizations, including the Red Cross, apply the 30-30 rule to indoor pools as well.
14. Run to the nearest gazebo
When you’re caught outside in a thunderstorm, you may be tempted to run to the nearest shelter, no matter what. Gazebo Or a picnic pavilion. A structure that is not fully enclosed will not protect you from lightning. If you can’t get into a building where your car is driven, assume it has a hard top.
15. Go back out after the last clap
The 30-minute rule doesn’t just apply to swimming pools: You should always wait 30 minutes after the last lightning you see (or hear) before returning outside, or resuming any indoor activities you avoided during the storm.
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