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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.
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.
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.
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 five
miles from your location.
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.
Originally published in the 2006 Winter issue
of The CampLine.
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