2023 Severe Weather Awareness Week: Lightning
Lightning is the “underrated killer.” The months of June through September are the deadliest as far as lightning is concerned. Remember: When thunder roars, go indoors.
Lightning safety rules
- Move inside a well-constructed house, a large building or an all-metal vehicle. Stay away from electrical appliances and do not use the telephone.
- If you are in a boat, get off the water and into a substantial building, or at least into an enclosed and all-metal vehicle with the windows up.
- If you are caught in an open metal boat, lie down in the boat with cushions between you and the metal sides and bottom.
- If you are caught outdoors during a storm and are too far from appropriate shelter, you can lower your chances of being directly struck by crouching down low but not lying flat on the ground. If in a ravine or valley, be alert for the threat of flooding.
- Move away from motorcycles, scooters, golf carts, bicycles, tractors and other metal farm equipment. Avoid wire fences, clotheslines, metal pipes and drains, railroad tracks and any other metal surfaces.
- Avoid isolated trees. Stay away from the tallest trees. If caught in the woods, pick a small grove of trees as your shelter and stand at least 5 feet from the trunk of the nearest tree to avoid flying bark if the tree is struck.
- Avoid standing in a small, isolated shed or other small, ungrounded structure.
- Avoid plumbing. Do not wash your hands, take a shower or wash dishes.
- If you are with a group of people in an open area and cannot get to appropriate shelter, spread out before you take last-ditch efforts.
- Best advice: Check the forecast, watch the sky for storm development and do not put yourself in a situation where you are out in the open when a thunderstorm occurs.
Information and graphics courtesy of the National Weather Service.
Read more about Severe Weather Awareness Week and about severe thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes. Look for additional Severe Weather Awareness Week posts on Alabama News Center each day this week.
For more weather news and information from James Spann, Scott Martin and other members of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx, where this story originally appeared.