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.