What not to do during a lightning storm? | safety precautions for lightning storms

What not to do during a lightning storm?

lightning storm

tornado

Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and other kinds of severe weather may seem beautiful and mesmerizing, but you should never forget that they can also be an extremely dangerous phenomenon. Surely, I’m not saying to hole up every time you hear thunder, but it only is sensible to go inside when the storm starts brewing.

The Best Ways to Protect Yourself in a Thunderstorm 

There are 19 things you must never do during severe weather if you want to stay safe. 

• Never Take a Shower 

shower

The thing is that when a thunderstorm is raging outside, the electrical currents created by lightning can travel through the water pipes in your house. As a result, your shower could be shocking, or the lightning bolt could start a fire in your home.

• Never Leave A Plastic Water Container On a Concrete Floor

 If you retain your water system in plastic container in a place with a concrete floor, store them either on a wooden pallet, or on a piece of cardboard. First of all, if it's a garage, there might be oil spills on the floor. On top of that, the concrete itself contains tons of chemicals used during its production. If any of these substances leach into your water supply, they can make it unsafe to drink.

•  Never Ignore The State of Your Hair

goose bumps

No really. Let's say you're standing outside of your house, admiring the approaching thunderstorm. But suddenly, you notice something bizarre: your hair is standing on end! Don't ignore this phenomenon - it's your clue that you should get inside the house right away! When the positive charge of your body interacts with the negative charge of the storm, it makes your hair stand up. Unfortunately, if you don't get indoors, you could get struck by lightning!

What to do in a thunderstorm in a house?

• Never Light Candles

candle

The problem with candles is that they can also start a fire. But during a nasty storm, there won't be phone service, and as a result, you won't be able to get through to the fire department, and they won't be able to reach your house. Also, fire hydrants might not be working. To avoid all these “worst case scenarios” use flashlights, which also produce more light than candles.

• Never Do the Dishes

dish

 Once again, during a thunderstorm, never get anywhere near a tap, be it in the bathroom or in the kitchen. Keep in mind that touching an electrified faucet can lead to very dramatic consequences.

• Never Evacuate During a Tornado

 As soon as you hear a tornado warning, immediately hide, either in the innermost room of your house or in the basement. Seriously, I mean it, put down that car key, and do not try to outrun the destructive force of nature.

• Never Run Generators Indoors 

generator

It may seem like a generator is one of the most irreplaceable things during a blackout caused by a severe storm. In reality though, the idea of using it indoors may turn out to be the worst in your life. A generator engine, just like any other combustion engine, emits carbon monoxide, a harmful gas that can cause a splitting headache and make you pass out. In most cases, people rarely survive big doses of this gas.

• Never Leave Your Pets Outside. 

pets

Of course you shouldn’t! Bring your animals inside during a thunderstorm; that's the only way to keep them safe. If your dog is chained to a tree, and lighting hits it, your pooch won't survive the electric current. A doghouse isn't proper protection either, especially if it's made of wood, which burns unnervingly fast.

•  Never Stand Near a Window 

never stand near the windows

Windows open or closed during thunderstorms?

•  Never Open a Window

 If you're one of those people who believe that opening windows during a storm equalizes the pressure and prevents them from shattering, it might be time to revise your beliefs. Experts state that this is nothing but a myth, and all you'll achieve by opening the windows is letting fierce winds into the house.

• Never Board Up Your Windows 

The right time to board up your windows is before a storm arrives. But if you wait until the last moment, gusts of wind can blow the boards out of your hands, turning them into life-threatening projectiles. Try to find out the weather forecast for the next couple of days in advance, and if a severe storm is approaching, board your windows up beforehand.

Is it safe to use electronics during a thunderstorm?

• Never Keep Your Laptop Plugged

 If you need to do some urgent work on your laptop, and a storm is raging outside, make sure that your computer isn't plugged into the wall. Just like with a corded phone, an electric current can rush through the power cord and not only destroy your device, but also hurt you. By the way, if power is lost, go and unplug all the electric devices in the house. Otherwise, when the power is restored, a power surge can cause damage to your appliances, or even lead to a fire.

• Never Overuse Your Fridge 

never over use the fridge

First of all, the fridge is just another kind of electric appliance you should stay away from during a storm. Secondly, if there’s a power failure, you'll want to keep your fridge as cold as possible for as long as you can, right? But every time you open it, it gets warmer and warmer inside.

•  Never Turn Your TV and Radio Off

never turn on the tv and redio during lightning storm

At Once You're relaxing on the sofa with a remote control in your hand and your favorite TV-show on the screen. But suddenly, an urgent voice interrupts it to announce that some severe weather is coming. Do NOT turn your TV or radio off immediately, and listen to the weather updates. Remember that paying attention may save your life.

• Never use a Landline

landline

I must admit that nowadays, you'll have to try pretty hard to find a corded phone whatsoever. But if you manage to, avoid talking on this type of phone during a lightning storm. It can easily get inside your house, not only through your water and plumbing systems, but also through the wiring. So, hold that thought until the storm passes.


Never Use a Charcoal Grill Indoors 

charcoal

Imagine there’s a blackout, but you're terribly hungry. But hey, there’s a solution! Why don't you just start a charcoal grill in the middle of your living room? Well, I sincerely hope you’d never entertain this idea, because using a charcoal grill indoors can end up in tragedy. While functioning, the thing emits lethal carbon monoxide gas that takes people's lives discreetly and quickly.


 Never Touch Concrete Structures 

don't touch concrete structure

The problem with concrete floors, walls, and buildings is that they often have metal bars or wires going through them. So, if you don't want the lightning to get to you, avoid standing next to concrete structures or leaning on them.

Never Do Anything That Can Lead to Injuries 

When a storm is raging outside, try not to get engaged in any risky activities. Power failures mean delayed ambulance service and crowded emergency rooms. Severe weather is one of the worst times to get hurt, so, don't take your chances.

Never Get Locked In

 You probably know that garage door openers tend to lock up as soon as the power is off. Luckily, there’s a special cord which releases the door from the opener in case of an emergency. Figure out where this cord is and show its location to your family members. This way, you'll be able to get inside the garage and drive your car out if you need to evacuate. If you have any tips on staying safe in severe weather that I haven't mentioned in this article please let me know.

Tips

• Stay away from windows in case one breaks from the wind.


• Small boats are dangerous places to be in a thunderstorm. If you can’t get to shore, however, do not enter the water — stay in the boat, even if it’s an open sailboat with a mast. There is a mistaken belief that being in the water is safer, but lightning can just as easily strike water (or the electrical charge can be carried through water), and if you’re struck and rendered unconscious, you don’t want to be in the water.


• If a thunderstorm is approaching, protect electronics and electric appliances by unplugging them beforehand . Don't use corded telephones, as lightning can travel through the cords. Do not unplug anything during a lightning storm, only beforehand .


• Wear as much as rubber as possible. Rubber may be a bad conductor and lightning will often bounce off it or sink into it. Also avoid touching metal as lightning travels around metal and touching it'll make it visit you.


• Lightning can travel several feet through the bottom , so distance yourself from tall, isolated objects. Be aware that an individual may are hit by lightning, albeit you didn’t see the lightning hit the person.


• Commercial lightning detection devices and weather warning services are available and will be considered to be used by golf courses, parks, etc.


• Wearing portable electronics with headphones during a lightning storm can increase the likelihood of severe injury within the case of a strike - not only to the ears, but to anywhere on the body that the headphone cables lay against.


• When adopting the lightning crouch, protect your ears. The thunder is dangerously loud.


• Lightning does not only happen during thunderstorms; it can also happen during volcanic eruptions. So you ought to also realize volcano safety and lightning safety. The more ash there's the more likely lightning will strike.


• Lightning is common within the summer throughout much of the us . Florida receives the most lightning strikes per square mile per year.


• Never go under a tree when there's a thunderstorm. This makes it very likely that you'll get hit.


• Stay clear of wide open areas, lightning is attracted to taller objects. And, during a wide open area, you become the tallest thing.


• A way to figure out how far lightning is is to listen to the thunder, (though you might have to cover your ears to block some sound), and if it's a rumble then it's more than a kilometer away, but if it sounds like a cannon blast or someone loudly slapping a sliding glass door, lightning is less than a kilometer away. You may be in extremely high danger.

Warnings:

• When seeking lower ground, try to choose an area that is safe from flooding.


• Severe thunderstorms can (and sometimes do) produce tornadoes with little or no warning. *Keep alert for potentially life-threatening weather if the storm(s) within the planet are particularly strong. Stay alert albeit there have been no thunderstorm warnings issued.


• don't plan to watch a storm through an open window or door or from a porch. Unenclosed areas aren't safe, albeit during a suitable shelter.


• don't touch someone if they're being electrocuted (unless using non-conductible materials like wood, plastic, rubber, etc.).


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