View All Articles

Lightning Safety

  Caught outside in a storm, inside during a thunderstorm, or in a car there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the dangers of lightning

Outside in a lightning storm

There is no safe place outside with lightning, however these actions may reduce your risk of being struck.
  • Avoid open fields, the top of a hill, or a ridge top
  • Stay away from tall, isolated trees or other tall objects
  • Stay away from water, wet items, and metal objects
  • A tent or open air building will not protect you from lightning

Inside during a lightning storm

  • Don’t touch electrical equipment or electronics plugged into the wall
  • Stay off corded phones and avoid plumbing
  • Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
  • Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls

Inside a car during a lightning storm

You are safe from lightning inside a car as long as you do the following.
  • Roll up the windows so that they are closed
  • Don’t touch metal objects inside the car
  • Pull over on the side of the road ad put your hazards on

Related Articles:

This entry was posted in Weather Articles and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Read More

Hawaii Hurricane Lowell satellite image and forecast cone at 2 AM HST September 6, 2026: the Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds is 595 miles south-southwest of Lihue and forecast to turn north and cross Papahanaumokuakea just west of Kauai Monday night, while Tropical Storm Karina weakens east of the islands.

Hawaii Hurricane Lowell Remains Category 3 at 125 mph, Turns Toward Islands

iAlert hurricane tracker satellite view of Hawaii Hurricane Lowell at 2 AM HST Sunday, September 6, 2026. Red M markers show Lowell as a major hurricane through 8 AM Monday as it turns north; orange H…

Read More

Hawaii Hurricane Lowell forecast cone at 11 PM HST September 4, 2026: the Category 4 hurricane south-southwest of Honolulu is forecast to turn north Sunday and pass west of Kauai County as a major hurricane Monday night, while Hurricane Karina weakens east of the islands

Hawaii Hurricane Lowell: 155 mph Cat 4 to Turn Toward Kauai

iAlert hurricane tracker view of the National Hurricane Center forecast cone for Hawaii Hurricane Lowell at 11 PM HST Friday, September 4, 2026. Red M markers show Lowell as a major hurricane through 8 PM Monday…

Read More

Great Lakes Mid-Atlantic severe thunderstorms SPC Day 1 categorical outlook for September 4, 2026, showing a Slight Risk from Detroit, Toledo, and Fort Wayne through Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Charleston to Washington D.C., Richmond, and Norfolk, with Marginal Risk bands from Flint and Cincinnati to Raleigh and from the Lake Erie shore through western Pennsylvania to Baltimore

Great Lakes Mid-Atlantic Severe Thunderstorms: Slight Risk of Damaging Wind and Hail September 4, 2026

Great Lakes Mid-Atlantic severe thunderstorms are the main weather story on September 4, 2026. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center's Day 1 Convective Outlook, issued at 12:55 UTC (8:55 am EDT / 7:55 am CDT), places a…

Read More

Leave a Reply