Lightning - Shocking.... isn't it?

So I seem to be on a roll with the bad puns.  Anyways, today's topic is lightning safety.  Lightning is a serious issue during thunderstorms, and you don't have to be directly under a thunderstorm cloud to get struck (did you know that lightning can travel as far as 10 miles away from the cloud?)!  Lightning is often in the presence of heavy rain or hail, strong winds, and even tornadoes, so they are in "good" company. 



Good advice!

Luckily, lightning has a friend.  A friend that gives you advanced warning that it is coming.  Thunder.  A saying presented by the National Weather Service for safety purposes is "When thunder roars, go indoors!"  The point here is, that when you hear thunder, that means that there is a lightning-producing thunderstorm in the vicinity and that you should move indoors for your own safety (not only from lightning, but from other severe weather that may be present as well).  Simply put - if you don't want to get struck by lightning (and who does?), get inside.  And stay there for at least 30 minutes after the storm has ended, since lightning could still strike you as the storm moves away.

But what if I'm inside????  Lightning can't hit me then, right?
Well, I hate to pop your bubble, but it can actually affect you in your home.  Stay off of electrical devices connected to the power grid (telephones, computers, etc.) as lightning can cause a power surge and destroy these devices.  The best idea is to unplug these when a storm moves in.  Also, stay out of the shower/bath.  If lightning strikes nearby your home, it's electrical current can actually follow your home's plumbing!  Not to mention, if your home is struck and manages to catch fire, you'd have just moments to get out due to the fire... and if you come out of the shower/bath, you'd be naked and would likely waste precious time putting clothes on!  So just stay away from water and electrical devices, just to be safe.

Also, the water point brings up another issue.  If you are outside fishing or swimming in a body of water and hear thunder or see lightning, leave immediately!  Water is a perfect conductor for electricity!!!!!

If you are traveling in your vehicle, you can relax if your vehicle has a hard-metal topped roof.  If lightning strikes your vehicle, it will safely pass to the ground beneath you... but it will also likely kill your car's on-board computer, which is a costly repair.  You'll be safe, but you car will be dead.  The best bet is to not travel through a thunderstorm unless absolutely necessary!  Stay home or pull off the road and wait for the storm to pass.

No one wants to get struck by lightning.  So just get inside and play it safe, staying away from water sources and electrical devices.