Lightning: Outdoor Safety
The capricious nature of thunderstorms makes them extremely dangerous; however,
following proven lightning safety guidelines can reduce your risk of injury or
death. You are ultimately responsible for your personal safety. You have the
responsibility to act when threatened by lightning.
This document has two main sections: lightning safety outdoors when a safe
location is nearby and when a safe location is NOT close.
No place is absolutely safe from lightning; however, some places are much safer
than others. The safest location during lightning activity is an enclosed
building. The second safest location is an enclosed metal vehicle, car, truck,
van, etc., but NOT a convertible, bike or other topless or soft top vehicle.
Safe Buildings
- A safe building is one that is fully enclosed with a roof, walls and floor,
such as a home, school, office building or a shopping center. Even inside, you
should take precautions. Picnic shelters, dugouts and other partially open
structures are NOT safe. Enclosed buildings are safe because of wiring and
plumbing. If lightning strikes these types of buildings, or an outside
telephone pole, the electrical current from the flash will typically travel
through the wiring or the plumbing into the ground. This is why you should stay
away from showers, sinks, hot tubs, etc., and electronic equipment such as TVs,
radios, and computers.
- Lightning can damage or destroy electronics so its important to have a proper
lightning protection system connected to your electronic equipment.
Unsafe Buildings
- Examples of buildings which are unsafe include car ports, covered but open
garages, covered patio, picnic shelters, beach shacks/pavilions, golf shelters,
camping tents, large outdoor tents, baseball dugouts and other partially open
structures.
Safe Vehicle
- A safe vehicle is a hard-topped car, SUV, minivan, bus, tractor, etc.
(soft-topped convertibles are not safe). If you seek shelter in your vehicle,
make sure all doors are closed and windows rolled up. Do not touch any metal
surfaces.
- If you're driving when a thunderstorm starts, pull off the roadway. A lightning
flash hitting the vehicle could startle you and cause temporary blindness,
especially at night.
- Do not use electronic devices such as HAM radios or cell phones during a
thunderstorm. Lightning striking the vehicle, especially the antennas, could
cause serious injury if you are talking on the radio or holding the microphone
at the time of the flash. Emergency officials such as police officers,
firefighters, security officers, etc., should use extreme caution using radio
equipment when lightning is in the area.
- Your vehicle and its electronics may be damaged if hit by lightning. Vehicles
struck by lightning are known to have flat tires the next day. This occurs
because the lightning punctures tiny holes in the tires. Vehicles have caught
fire after being struck by lightning; however, there is no modern day
documented cases of vehicles "exploding" due to a lightning flash.
Bolts from the Blue
- There are times when a lightning flash can travel horizontally many miles away
from the thunderstorm cloud itself and then strike the ground. These types of
lightning flashes are called "Bolts from the Blue" because they seem to come
out of a clear blue sky. Although these flashes are rare, they have been known
to cause fatalities.
When a Safe Location is Nearby
- When a safe location is nearby, follow the "30/30 Rule."
-
Seek safe shelter when you first hear thunder, see dark threatening clouds
developing overhead or lightning. Count the seconds between the time you see
lightning and hear the thunder. You should already be in a safe location if
that time is less than 30 seconds.
-
Stay inside until 30 minutes after you last hear thunder.
- Click
here to calculate how far lightning is away from you.
- Plan Ahead! Your best source of up-to-date weather information is a
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). Portable weather radios are handy for outdoor
activities. If you don't have NWR, stay up to date via internet, TV, local
radio or cell phone. If you are in a group, make sure all leaders or members of
the group have a lightning safety plan and are ready to use it.
- Determine how far you are from a safe enclosed building or a safe vehicle. As
soon as you hear thunder, see lightning or see dark threatening clouds, get to
a safe location. Then wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before
you leave the safe location. If you are part of a group, particularly a large
one, you will need more time to get all group members to safety. NWS recommends
having professional lightning detection equipment so your group can be alerted
from significant distances from the event site.
- When groups are involved, the time needed to get to safety increases, so you
need to start leaving sooner. Your entire group should already be in a safe
location when the approaching storm reaches within 5 miles from your location.
- Here are two common scenarios with suggestions on how to safely respond:
- Coach of Outdoor Sports Team
You are a manager of a little league team and have a game this evening at the
local recreational park. The weather forecast for the day calls for a partly
cloudy skies, with a chance of thunderstorms by early evening. You arrive in
your vehicle while the kids arrive with their parents. Once arriving at the
park, you notice the only buildings are the the restrooms, an enclosed
building. Shortly after sunset, the skies start to cloud up and you see bright
flashes in the sky to the west. The local radio station mentions storms are on
the way.
In this case, the safest locations are the vehicles the kids came in or the
rest rooms. You should have a choice of allowing the kids to go back to their
vehicles or bring everyone into the restrooms. It is important NOT to stay in
the dugouts as they are not safe place during lightning activity. Once at a
safe place, wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before going back
outside.
- Family at the Beach
You plan to go to the beach or lake later this morning with the kids. The
weather forecast calls for a nice morning followed by a 30 percent chance of
afternoon thunderstorms. You decide to head for the beach in your minivan. The
beach is about 5 minutes from the parking lot. The only nearby buildings are
picnic shelters. By early afternoon you notice the skies darkening and hear
distant thunder. What would be your lightning safety plan of action?
In this case, the best place to go is your car. Do NOT seek shelter under the
beach picnic shacks because these are not safe in lightning storms. Wait 30
minutes until after the last thunder crack before going back to the beach or
driving home.
When a Safe Location Is Not Nearby
The lightning safety community reminds you that there is NO safe place to be
outside in a thunderstorm. If you absolutely can't get to safety, this section
is designed to help you lessen the threat of being struck by lightning while
outside.
Being stranded outdoors when lightning is striking nearby is a harrowing
experience. Your first and only truly safe choice is to get to a safe building
or vehicle. If are camping, climbing, on a motorcycle or bicycle, boating,
scuba diving, or enjoying other outdoor activities and cannot get to a safe
vehicle or shelter, follow these last resort tips.
-
Do NOT seek shelter under tall isolated trees! The tree may
help you stay dry but will significantly increase your risk of being struck by
lightning. Rain will not kill you, but the lightning can!
-
Do NOT seek shelter under partially enclosed buildings
-
Stay away from tall, isolated objects. Lightning typically strikes the tallest
object. That may be you in an open field or clearing.
-
Know the weather patterns of the area. For example, in mountainous areas,
thunderstorms typically develop in the early afternoon, so plan to hike early
in the day and be down the mountain by noon.
-
Know the weather forecast. If there is a high chance of thunderstorms, curtail
your outdoor activities.
-
Do not place your campsite in an open field on the top of a hill or on a ridge
top. Keep your site away from tall isolated trees or other tall objects. If you
are in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees. If you are camping in an
open area, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low area. A tent offers NO
protection from lighting.
-
Wet ropes can make excellent conductors. This is BAD news when it comes to
lightning activity. If you are mountain climbing and see lightning, and can do
so safely, remove unnecessary ropes extended or attached to you. If a rope is
extended across a mountain face and lightning makes contact with it, the
electrical current will likely travel along the rope, especially if it is wet.
-
Stay away from metal objects, such as fences, poles and backpacks. Metal is an
excellent conductor. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for
long distances.
- If lightning is in the immediate area, and there is no safe location nearby,
get into the lightning desperation position. Crouch down but do NOT lay down.
Bend your knees down while keeping your feet together.
Motorcyclist/Bicyclist
So has anyone been hit riding a bike?
Here are just a few real examples from the last few years.
-
Virginia Beach, VA: Motorcyclist killed while traveling on Route 58.
-
Altoona, PA: One motorcycle rider killed and 3 injured when they took shelter
in a woods from a thunderstorm.
-
Wyoming: Motorcyclist injured while driving home on I-90 from Sturgis.
-
Taylor Park, CO - Dirt biker injured while heading down mountain pass.
Protect Yourself when on a bicycle, motorcycle or dirt bike.
-
Carry a portable NWR or listen to the radio.
-
If you see threatening skies in the distance and you are passing a safe
location, pull over and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder crack.
-
If you can turn around and get away from the storm, do so!
-
DO NOT ride into a lighting storm!
If you absolutely cannot get to a safe building or vehicle, here are some last
resort choices:
-
Wait out the storm below an overpass. DO NOT touch steel girders. Move away
from your bike. Remain on the dry surfaces if possible. Overpasses are
engineered structures and are likely to be properly grounded. Although an
overpass is likely to be higher than the surrounding landscape, if it is struck
by lightning, the electrical current will likely be channeled safely into the
ground.
-
Look for a bridge. Stay away from water. Stay away from any metal surfaces. Be
alert for rapidly rising water if under a bridge.
-
High tension wires: If high voltage electrical tension wires cross the road,
you may want to seek shelter directly underneath these wires. Do not get too
close to the large metal towers which hold up these wires. Stay at least 50
feet away. Electric companies design these high tension wires for lightning
strikes. If lighting should strike the wires or towers, the current is designed
to safely go deep into the ground.
- IMPORTANT: These recommendations are a last resort. You are
NOT safe in these places just marginally safer than in the open.
On the Water
- The vast majority of lightning injuries and deaths on boats occur on
small boats with NO cabin. It is crucial to listen to the weather on a
small aquatic vessel without a cabin. If thunderstorms are forecast, don't go
out or remain relatively close to land. If you are out on the water and skies
are threatening on the horizon, get back to land and find a safe building or
vehicle.
- Boats with cabins offer a safer but not perfect environment. Safety is
increased further if the boat has a properly installed lightning protection
system. If you are inside the cabin, stay away from metal and all electrical
components. STAY OFF THE RADIO UNLESS IT IS AN ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY!
- What should you do if you are on a small vessel and lightning becomes a threat?
If the vessel has an anchor, then you should properly anchor the boat then get
as low as possible.
- Large boats with cabins, especially those with lightning protection systems
properly installed or metal marine vessels are relatively safe. Remember to
stay inside the cabin and away from any metal surfaces.
Scuba Divers
- If the boat you are in does not have a safe cabin to be in during lightning
activity, then you are safer diving deep into the water for the duration of the
storm or as long as possible. Your first choice is to head in and get in safe
building or vehicle.