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Old 06-04-2015, 01:29 PM   #38
Civicsman
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Seek shelter under some suitable structure (not under a tree) or indoors as quickly as possible...common sense really.
Severe storm professionals say that many structures that keep rain off your head don't do much to protect you from lightning. Homes and businesses have plumbing and wiring that will tend to provide a path for lightning, thus helping to protect occupants. (Which is why you stay off the land line phone and out of the shower during a lightning storm). Being outside of a home or business, such as on a porch, doesn't provide the same protection. If you're outside such a building, depending on where the lightning strikes, it may go through you to get to the pipes and wiring. Hard top automobiles are pretty good shelters too.

However, if lightning strikes a picnic shelter (just as an example of a minimal structure), the lightning finds a path from the top of the structure to the earth beneath, sometimes following the structure, and sometimes arcing, and a human standing under it could still be in that path. Not to mention that such a building won't have much positive impact on the effects of a nearby ground strike.

Again, folks, the advice I posted was for the situation where one is caught in the open with no recourse for better shelter. Maybe the person is too far from any shelter. Maybe the storm is coming up too fast to outrun. The professional advice is that when the "flash-to-thunder" time is 25 seconds or less, you are at potential risk. Of course, that risk increases as the storm gets closer.

The "lightning safety position" is the final, desperate, survival technique for the situation where you have no other good options. It doesn't require being in a ditch (or ravine or whatever). Being lower than the surrounding area just makes it less likely you'll get struck. If you CAN get to a good shelter before you're within range of the storm, then by all means do so. If you think you shouldn't go into a ditch for personal reasons, then don't. However, continuing to glide through a storm is asking for it.

Your life. Your decision. Know the facts.

Last edited by Civicsman; 06-04-2015 at 01:44 PM..
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