To stay safe inside a building:. Heat lightning is lightning from a thunderstorm that is too far away for thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction! Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.
Natural Disasters and Severe Weather. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. What should I do if I see someone get struck by lightning? Top of Page. How can I protect myself from a lightning strike? While inside during a thunderstorm: Stay off corded phones. Cell phones and cordless phones are okay.
Do NOT use computers or electronic equipment. Stay out of the shower and away from other plumbing. This includes avoiding washing dishes.
Stay away from windows and doors. If outside during a thunderstorm: Seek shelter immediately. Do NOT lie on the ground or seek shelter under a tree! What should I do if I am caught outside during a lightning storm?
What should I do if I am inside a building during a lightning storm? To stay safe inside a building: Stay away from electrical equipment or cords, including corded phones. Avoid plumbing; do NOT wash your hands, take a shower, or wash dishes. Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off of porches and balconies. Do NOT lie down on or lean against any concrete floors or walls. What is my risk of being struck by lightning? How many people die from lightning strikes each year in the United States?
How many people are injured from lightning strikes each year in the United States? When you were younger, that was probably totally fine by you an excuse to get out of a bath!
So what's the deal with the claim that you can't take a shower or bath during a thunderstorm? Turns out, there's a real risk to your health there—but it's a little more complicated than you might think. Here's what to know about why you should skip shower time if there's a thunderstorm going on outside—and what you can do instead.
So, thunderstorms are dangerous largely due to the lightning they produce thunder and lightning come together, but lightning poses the bigger threat. Lightning is basically a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air, or the ground, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA. When the lightning gets a hundred yards or so off the ground, objects like trees and bushes and buildings start sending up invisible energy sparks to meet it, NOAA explains.
When one of those sparks connects with the downward developing channel, a huge electric current surges rapidly down the channel and you get a ground surge. You can also get serious injuries like blunt trauma, neurological syndromes, muscle injuries, eye injuries, skin lesions, and burns. Lightning is a large spark of electricity.
According to the National Weather Service, lightning strikes about people in the United States each year. However, certain activities can increase your risk. This includes showering during a thunderstorm. This is due to the risk of electrocution. The organization also says that lightning can travel through plumbing. If the lightning strikes a water pipe, the electricity can move along the pipes and cause electrocution. During a thunderstorm, you should avoid using water in general.
Electricity from lightning can move through water pipes in the entire building, not just the bathroom. A lightning strike poses the risk of death by electrocution. Its effects on the body can range in type and severity. Electrical wires, like plumbing, can conduct electricity from a lightning strike.
The electricity can travel along the wires and cause electrocution. This includes devices like:. The CDC also advises against standing or sitting near windows.
You should avoid being near doors and porches, too.
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