To demonstrate something rare or impossible, many turn to the old — and false — adage: “Lightning never strikes in the same place twice.”
Tell that to the Willis Tower, which WGN-TV’s Tom Skilling has estimated is struck by lightning about 50 times a year.
When it comes to severe weather, it may seem like there’s no preparing in advance for a lightning strike. While it’s true you can’t prevent one from happening, there are many commonsense actions residents can take to try to mitigate the damage a random lightning strike could cause to your residence, or to avoid being one of the roughly 47 people killed by lightning strikes in the United States each year.
Here are some things you should know about thunderstorms and lightning — and how to stay safe in thunderstorms.
Lightning is hotter than the sun, but it’s safe to touch a strike victim
Lightning strikes in the United States about 25 million times per year, and lightning is hotter than the surface of the sun — it can reach temperatures of 50,000 degrees.
Because people who are struck by lightning are electrified (the term applies to someone who is struck and survives; a person is only “electrocuted” if the strike is fatal), many believe that makes it unsafe to perform CPR or to otherwise touch them because the electricity will transfer. That’s not true, officials with the National Weather Service say.
“The human body does not store electricity. It is perfectly safe to touch a lightning victim to give them first aid. This is the most chilling of lightning myths. Imagine if someone died because people were afraid to give CPR,” a weather service “lightning myths” web page states.
Rubber tires on a car do not protect you from lightning strikes, and neither do trees
Although you are safer inside a car than out in the open, it is not the rubber on a car that makes the vehicle safer — it’s actually the metal, often on the vehicle roof and in doors, according to the weather service.
“Remember, convertibles, motorcycles, bicycles, open-shelled outdoor recreational vehicles and cars with fiberglass shells offer no protection from lightning. When lightning strikes a vehicle, it goes through the metal frame into the ground,” the site states, adding not to lean on car doors if waiting out severe weather.
If you’re stuck outside when a storm moves in, the best thing is to keep moving and get to either a building or a car. It is not safe to take shelter under a tree. In fact, being under a tree is the second leading cause of lightning casualties.
When thunder roars, go indoors
The weather service uses this rhyme to remind people when they can hear thunder, they’re within range of a potential lightning strike.
Once inside, you are only truly safe by staying off electrical devices, such as corded phones, computers or televisions. It’s also best to avoid water, which means no hand-washing or showers. It provides a good excuse to put off doing the dishes.
It’s also best to avoid concrete floors or walls, and not to stand near windows. In rare cases, in older homes, lightning can come in through cracks around the windows, but mainly the warning aims to help people avoid flying objects that could hit and shatter windows.
Know the difference between a watch and a warning, and what winds can do
A thunderstorm watch means a thunderstorm might affect your area, and it’s time to be alert and to monitor the weather. A thunderstorm warning means the storm is expected and it’s time to take action by getting indoors to a safe place.
It’s also helpful to know what kind of damage strong winds, commonly associated with thunderstorms, can cause.
According to the weather service:
- 40-55 mph winds will cause trees to sway and some small branches to fly off.
- 60-80 mph winds can cause large limbs to break off trees, shallow-rooted trees to fall to the ground and shingles to fly off a roof.
- 80-plus mph winds can cause as much damage as a tornado. They also can cause structural damage to a home, many trees to be uprooted and trucks to blow off highways.
Listen, communicate and prepare
The weather service suggests signing up for local notifications and making sure you understand how your town sends warnings, such as whether it uses sirens and what they mean.
You also should have a family communication plan that includes where to meet if severe weather is coming and where you will stay for the duration of the thunderstorm. The weather service recommends a basement, storm cellar or interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
It is also a good idea to keep trees and branches near your home trimmed in advance. If there is enough warning before a storm hits, it also is a good idea to secure loose objects and move any valuable items indoors.