NC’s ‘lightning season’ approaches. Here’s how to stay safe during storms.
Few events in nature put on a show quite as dazzling as lightning.
But when those lightning strikes actually connect, either in a direct or indirect strike, the results can be pretty serious, causing property damage, forest fires and fatalities.
In North Carolina, lightning is particularly dangerous.
North Carolina ranks 21st in the country for lightning strikes, based on a 2015-2019 average, but the National Weather Service ranks the state much higher in fatalities from lightning strikes.
Based on data from 2008 to 2017, North Carolina ranked fourth in the country (tied with Arizona and Colorado) in the number of lightning strike fatalities, behind Florida (#1), Texas (#2) and Alabama (#3). In fact, according to National Weather Service data, you have to go back to 2014 to find a year in which North Carolina did not report at least one lightning strike fatality.
But overall, across the U.S., deaths from lightning strikes are down a bit over the past couple of years, when compared to the 10-year average, which is 27 per year. There were 17 reported lightning strike fatalities in 2020, and 20 in 2019.
When it comes to property damage, the results are similar.
The Insurance Information Institute ranked North Carolina fifth in the country last year for homeowners insurance losses by number of claims.
With lightning season now underway (June, July and August are when most lightning casualties occur, with July being the month with the most lightning), it’s a good time to review lightning safety and fact check some common thoughts on lightning.
Our sources are the National Weather Service and the Lightning Protection Institute.
What if I’m outside when a lightning storm begins?
▪ Always remember the lightning safety mantra: When thunder roars, go indoors.
Don’t wait until you can see lightning, and don’t wait for rain. Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from rainfall. Being inside is really the only safe place to be during a lightning storm. Try to get to a fully enclosed building with wiring and plumbing as soon as you hear thunder.
▪ If you’re planning an outdoor event, like a party or cookout, have a plan for what to do should lightning start. If you’re attending an outdoor concert, find out where you should go for shelter in the case of a storm.
▪ You should stay inside for at least 30 minutes after you hear the last rumbles of thunder.
What if I can’t get inside during a lightning storm?
▪ Get away from water! Water-related activities are the number one circumstance in which people are killed by lightning. If you’re boating or swimming when a storm approaches, get away from the water as quickly as possible.
▪ Don’t be in an open area where you are the tallest figure in that area. Lightning is attracted to tall objects.
▪ But also don’t stand under trees or by utility poles. Since lightning strikes tall structures, avoid being next to something that tall.
▪ Don’t bother crouching. In the past, the National Weather Service recommended that people crouch down low to the ground to lessen their chances of being struck. They stopped recommending that 10 years ago because it didn’t actually provide “a significant level of protection” and gave people a false sense that they were safe.
▪ Get inside a vehicle. Try to get to a hard-topped vehicle — the metal shell of the vehicle (not the rubber tires) will protect you. Keep the windows closed and don’t touch any metal inside the car. Stay inside for at least 30 minutes after hearing the last rumble of thunder.
▪ Retreat to dense areas of smaller trees that are surrounded by larger trees, or retreat to low lying areas such as ditches — but watch for flooding.
▪ If you’re in a large group, spread out. This sounds harsh, but while it actually increases the chances that someone will get struck, it decreases the chances of multiple casualties. Also, it allows for survivors who can aid victims.
▪ Stay away from metal, like fences, bleachers or sheds. Metal doesn’t attract lightning, but if metal is struck, the current can travel through it.
Do umbrellas or cell phones increase chances of a lightning strike?
Carrying an umbrella during a storm will not attract lightning — the danger is in being outside at all during a storm, Kim Loehr of the Lightning Protection Institute, told The News & Observer in an interview for a previous story.
“An umbrella may give someone a false sense of security because it’s providing shelter from the rain, but the main thing is to not be outside. An umbrella or cell phone is not increasing or decreasing the chance of being struck. Just get in a safe place.”
Can rubber-sole sneakers protect you from lightning?
Nope. The Lightning Protection Institute points out that this belief — along with the notion that rubber tires on a car keep you safe — is a fallacy. Rubber sneakers offer no protection, they say, and in a car, it’s the metal shell that will protect you.
Am I totally safe from lightning if I’m inside my home?
Generally, you are pretty safe from lightning if you’re inside a home, but lightning does strike homes, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that about one-third of lightning injuries occur indoors.
Here are things you can do to protect yourself.
▪ Don’t take a shower or bath, and don’t do dishes. Plumbing is a conductor of electricity, so if lightning strikes your home, it could travel through the plumbing and get you.
▪ Stay off corded land line telephones and away from electronics. This isn’t a myth, it’s real. The National Weather Service says many indoor victims of lightning strikes were using electrical equipment or talking on corded phones. You’re safe on a mobile phone or even a cordless land line.
▪ Stay away from windows and doors. This warning is because of the metal found on window and door frames.
▪ Sit down and be quiet? Turns out this was just our parents tricking us. Lightning doesn’t care if you’re being loud, but sometimes mom and dad could use some peace and quiet.
What do I do if someone is struck by lightning?
▪ First, call 911.
▪ If you’re outside in an unsafe place, move the victim to a safe place. Lightning, it seems, can strike twice.
▪ Begin CPR. The person who has been struck does not have an electrical charge, so they are fine to touch. Cardiac arrest is the immediate cause of death for people who die from a lightning strike, so be prepared to perform CPR while waiting for emergency personnel.
▪ If there is an automated external defibrillator (AED) available, use it.
Do lightning rods work?
Lightning rods were very popular for a while and then fell out of favor.
But the Lightning Protection Institute says that lightning rods (sometimes called strike termination devices), when used as part of a lightning protection system, are useful.
A lightning protection system offers surge protection and grounds a structure to handle the lightning’s electricity. Without grounding, a lightning strike can cause fires, explosions or other property damage.
This story was originally published June 24, 2021 at 7:30 AM.
