Thunderstorms
What to Do During a Severe Thunderstorm WATCH
- Listen to a NOAA
Weather Radio, or local radio or television stations for updated
information. Local authorities
will provide you with the best information for your particular situation.
- Avoid natural
lightning rods such as golf clubs, fishing poles, tractors, bicycles, and
camping equipment. Lightning
is attracted to metal and poles or rods.
- Be prepared to
seek shelter if a severe thunderstorm approaches.
A sturdy building is the safest place to be during a severe thunderstorm.
Avoid unprotected gazebos, rain or picnic shelters, golf carts, baseball
dugouts and bleachers. While many people take shelter from rain in these
locations, they are often isolated structures in otherwise open areas,
and, therefore, a target for lightning. In addition, gazebos and picnic
shelters are often poorly anchored and subject to being uprooted and
blown around in strong thunderstorm winds. They also offer little
protection from large hail.
If you perceive a
severe thunderstorm approaching:
- Secure outdoor
objects such as lawn furniture that could blow away or cause damage or
injury. Take light objects inside.
- Shutter windows
securely and brace outside doors.
This will help protect your house from damaging winds or flying debris.
- Avoid electrical
equipment and telephones.
Lightning could follow the wire. Television sets are particularly
dangerous at this time.
- Avoid bathtubs,
water faucets, and sinks because metal pipes can transmit electricity.
What to Do at Home During a Thunderstorm WARNING
- Draw blinds and
shades over windows. If
windows break due to objects blown by the wind or large hail, the shades
will help prevent glass from shattering into your home.
- Unplug
appliances. Avoid using the
telephone or any electrical appliances. If lightning strikes, telephone
lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity. Leaving electric lights
on, however, does not increase the chances of your home being struck by
lightning.
- Avoid taking a
bath or shower, or running water for any other purpose.
Metal pipes and plumbing can conduct electricity if struck by lightning.
- Turn off the air
conditioner. Power surges from
lightning can overload the compressor, resulting in a costly repair job.
What to Do if You Are Outside and a Severe Thunderstorm Is Approaching
- If you are
boating or swimming, get to land, get off the beach, and find shelter
immediately. Stay away from
rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. Water is an excellent conductor
of electricity. When lightning strikes nearby, the electrical charge can
travel through the water. Each year, numbers of people are killed by
nearby lightning strikes while in or on the water.
- Take shelter in
substantial, permanent, enclosed structures, such as reinforced
buildings. Sturdy buildings
are the safest place to be. Avoid unprotected gazebos, rain or picnic
shelters, golf carts, baseball dugouts and bleachers. While many people
take shelter from rain in these locations, they are often isolated
structures in otherwise open areas, and, therefore, a target for
lightning. In addition, gazebos and picnic shelters are often poorly
anchored and subject to being uprooted and blown around in strong
thunderstorm winds. They also offer little protection from large hail.
- If there are no
reinforced buildings in sight, take shelter in a car.
Keep car windows closed and avoid convertibles. Rubber-soled shoes and
rubber tires provide no protection from lightning. However, the steel
frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are
not touching metal. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your
car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.
- If you are in
the woods, find an area protected by a low clump of trees.
Never stand underneath a single large tree in the open. Be aware of the
potential for flooding in low-lying areas.
- As a last resort
and if no structure is available, go to a low- lying, open place away
from trees, poles, or metal objects. Make sure the place you pick is not
subject to flooding. Have as
little contact with the ground as possible. Squat low to the ground.
Place your hands on your knees with your head between them. Make yourself
the smallest target possible. Do not lie flat on the ground this will
make you a larger target.
- Avoid tall
structures such as towers, tall trees, fences, telephone lines, and power
lines. Lightning strikes the
tallest objects in an area.
- Stay
away from natural lightning rods, such as golf clubs, tractors, fishing rods, bicycles,
- and
camping equipment.
Lightning is attracted to metal and poles or rods.
- If you are
isolated in a level field or prairie and you feel your hair stand on end
(which indicates that lightning is about to strike), drop to your knees
and bend forward, putting your hands on your knees. Crouch on the balls
of your feet. Do not lie flat on the ground.
The electrical build-up just before lightning strikes will cause your
hair to stand on end. Make yourself the smallest target possible and
minimize contact with the ground.
What to Do While driving During a Thunderstorm and Heavy Rain
- Pull safely onto
the shoulder of the road and stop, making sure you are away from any
trees or other tall objects that could fall on the vehicle. Stay in the
car and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rains subside.
Heavy rains produced by thunderstorms can greatly reduce visibility.
Vehicles will provide better protection from lightning than being out in
the open. Emergency flashers will alert other drivers with limited
visibility that you have stopped. Keep car windows closed.
- Avoid contact
with metal or conducting surfaces outside or inside the vehicle.
Lightning that strikes nearby can travel through wet ground to your car.
The steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if
you are not touching metal. Rubber tires provide no protection from
lightning. Avoid contact with potential conductors to reduce your chance
of being shocked. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your
car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.
- Avoid flooded
roadways. Most flood
fatalities are caused by people attempting to drive through water, or
people playing in high water. The depth of water is not always obvious.
The roadbed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded
or trapped. Rapidly rising water may stall the engine, engulf the vehicle
and its occupants, and sweep them away. Look out for flooding at highway
dips, bridges, and low areas. Two feet of water will carry away most
automobiles.
Many strong thunderstorms produce hail. Large hail, or flying glass it may have broken, can injure people and
animals. Hail can be smaller than a pea, or as large as a softball, and can
be very destructive to automobiles, glass surfaces (skylights and windows),
roofs, plants, and crops. In a hailstorm, take cover immediately. Pets and
livestock are particularly vulnerable to hail, so bring animals into
shelter before storms begin.
Downbursts and
straight-line winds associated with thunderstorms can produce winds 100 to
150 miles per hour, enough to flip cars, vans, and semi trucks.
The resulting damage can equal the damage of most tornadoes. If a severe
thunderstorm warning is issued, take shelter the same way you would if a
tornado were approaching your area. Leave structures that are susceptible
to being blown over in high winds, such as a mobile home. |