Lightning can strike anywhere at any time. According to the Centers for Disease Control, lightning kills about 20 Americans each year and injures many others.
A person walking through a field under a blue sky could suddenly fall to a literal “bolt out of the blue” that originated miles away. Prone to summer thunderstorms in Alabama, lightning occurs here most frequently in July, followed by June and August.
“Lightning injuries are very serious and can result in death,” warns Logan Poole, University of South Alabama graduate and now a National Weather Service meteorologist. “The Gulf Coast is one of the most active areas for lightning activity. Every thunderstorm has lightning with it. Lightning is the trigger for thunder. Even with a non-severe thunderstorm, that lightning hazard is always there. It’s very hard to predict where lightning will strike.”
Essentially a giant spark, technically a “channeled stream of plasma,” lightning forms from static electricity. When walking across carpet in socks, a person could build up a static electricity charge. If that person touches a metal doorknob, it might spark and give the person a mild shock. Imagine what lightning carrying more than a billion volts of energy can do.
“In a thunderstorm, ice particles, water and air rub against each other,” Poole explains. “That builds up a charge of static electricity. When the charge gets strong enough, that massive spark will jump from the thunderstorm to something else not as highly charged. It could be a cloud-to-cloud strike or it could hit an object, like a building, a tree, the ground or a person.”
How far lightning might jump indicates its power. Air does not make a very good conductor of electricity so lightning “struggles” to jump. Eventually, it builds up a charge powerful enough to jump. Therefore, a bolt coming from miles away carries significantly more energy than one close.
Legends hold that lightning cannot strike the same place twice, but bolts strike some tall buildings multiple times every year. Lightning doesn’t always hit the tallest things, but the tallest objects closer to the sky make it easier for lightning to strike them.
“Golfing is one of the activities that results in the most lightning strikes,” Poole says. “Golfers are holding an object, often made of metal, above their heads in an open area in the outdoors. People fishing in metal boats in open water would be more susceptible to lightning strikes, but more important than the little bit of metal, the height of the person above the water makes a tremendous difference. The odds of getting hit while in a metal boat is not much higher than anyone else, but since metal is a great conductor of electricity they are more at risk if struck.”
If caught in a storm while in a boat, get as low as possible. Take any rods or other tall objects out of the holders and place them on the deck. Lower antennas if possible. Avoid touching metal. The bolt doesn’t need to make a direct hit to affect a person.
When on land, don’t hide under trees. Energy from a bolt striking a tree travels down the trunk into the ground and could affect people or animals around the tree. If possible, get inside a building or a vehicle. If caught in the open lie flat or crouch low to the ground. Put hands tightly over the ears to protect them from extreme noise.
Vehicles can provide good protection. If driving, pull over to a safe place, like under an overpass. When parked, don’t touch the steering wheel or any metal. If lightning strikes the vehicle, it should travel along the metal frame around the person.
The best way to avoid becoming a statistic is to watch the forecast and pay attention to the weather. Watch for rain, black clouds, flashes and listen for thunder. Any summer morning could begin clear and calm, but an afternoon thunderstorm pops up suddenly. Know when to leave. If a thunderstorm begins building, head for shelter or in another direction away from the storm.
“A person needs to be very aware of the weather and take appropriate action,” Poole advises. “If boating, never allow a potential thunderstorm to cut off the route back to port. If something starts to develop between the boat and the shoreline, start seeking a secondary destination close to shore for emergency shelter.”
When lightning threatens, stay home. If outdoors, take precautions to stay as safe as possible.
John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer who lives in Semmes, Ala. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH FM Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile, Ala. Contact him at [email protected] or through Facebook.
