NWS Lightning Safety

NWS Lightning Safety

Lightning Safety Tips

USA.gov sent this bulletin at 06/24/2013 10:18 AM EDT Summer is the peak season for lightning-related deaths and injuries, though people are struck by lightning year-round.

The National Weather Service provides a wide range of information about lightning, including these facts and tips:

General Tips

• No outdoor area is safe when you hear thunder.
• If you hear thunder, find a safe indoor shelter (a substantial building or enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with the windows up).

Indoor Safety Tips

• Stay off corded phones, computers, and other electrical equipment.
• Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths, and faucets.
• Stay away from porches, windows, and doors.
• Never lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls.

Outdoor Safety Tips
No outdoor area is safe during a thunderstorm, but if you're caught outside with no safe shelter options, take these steps to reduce your risk of being struck by lightning:

• Come down from elevated areas.
• Never lie flat on the ground.
• Never shelter under an isolated tree.
• Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter.
• Immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes, and other bodies of water.
• Stay away from objects that conduct electricity, such as wire fences.

Read some interesting myths and facts about lightning.