Lightning: myth versus fact, safety tips

Summer storm season is in full swing and the map below is proof. This map, created in-house at AccuWeather, depicts lightning strikes for the last 100 hours.

Yeah, that's a lot. In fact, the only state (Alaska and Hawaii excepted) that appears to not have had a single lightning strike is California. That is both good news and bad news for the The Golden State. No lightning means no storms, which means no rain. No lightning also means no strikes have sparked any new wildfires, which is good for the drought-stricken region.

The approximate number of lightning strikes in this image is 1,085,124. Over a million strikes. It is estimated that 100 cloud-to-ground lightning bolts strike the Earth every single second. Yikes!

Unfortunately, just in the last week, lightning has taken the lives of five people. Those deaths brought the total of lightning deaths in the U.S. to 14 people.

Those are scary numbers! Lightning deaths can easily be prevented by knowing a few facts and how to react when lightning is nearby. In this blog, I'm going to cover some lightning myths and facts and provide some safety tips on how to stay safe during a thunderstorm.

#1: Lightning can strike over 30 miles away from the storm....

This is a fact! Lightning that strikes far away from the storm is called a "Bolt from the Blue." These are especially dangerous because are usually unaware of a storm that is so far away.

#2: Lightning never strikes the same place twice....

Myth! In fact, lightning actually hits the ground multiple times in one strike. The Empire State Building is know for being struck by lightning 8 times in a single storm, in the 1930's. The video below shows the CN Tower in Toronto being struck multiple times during a strong storm.

#3: The temperature of lightning is hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Fact! This is a pretty surprising one, given how hot we know the Sun is. The temperature on the surface of the Sun is approximately 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightning can reach over 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit! Temperatures with that heat intensity surging through an electrical current through a human body... not much of a surprise why it's so rare to survive a direct lightning strike.

#4: The rubber tires on a car keep you safe if lightning strikes the vehicle you are in.

Myth! It is actually the metal outsides of a vehicle that keep you safe. It creates what is called a Faraday Cage. The electrical current from the lightning is directed through the metal and into the ground, keeping it away from the occupants. Airplanes are also very subject to being hit by lightning, receiving a lightning strike once per year, on average.

#5: Crouching down close to the ground or laying flat on the ground will protect you from being struck by lightning.

Myth! You still have a chance of being struck directly by lightning if you are anywhere outside. If you are laying down on the ground, there is a high likelihood you will be impacted by the electrical current that spreads out through the ground after a lightning strike.

Here are some quick safety tips when the threat of lightning is nearby.

-Don't stand under a tree, or next to any other tall object. You will be close enough to the strike to be impacted.

-Stay away from anything that conducts electricity when you are indoors. This means any electronic device that has wires. Cell phones are actually safe, since they do not have a physical cord for electricity to travel through.

-Water is also a conductor of electricity, so when indoors, stay away from sinks, baths and anything that has running water. If you are outdoors, be sure to get away from any bodies of waters, like pools, ponds and lakes.

-If someone is struck by lightning, it is safe to give them CPR. Their body will not still hold any electrical current.

-Use the 30/30 rule! After seeing a flash of lightning, count the seconds between the flash and when you hear thunder. If that number is less than 30 seconds, lightning is close enough to be a threat. The second 30 is the amount of minutes you should wait before going outside after a storm is over, to ensure the storm is far enough away.

Don't become apart of the statistic! Lightning-related deaths are preventable if you pay attention to your surroundings, the weather and if you know where to take shelter when a storm approaches.

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