How to Protect Yourself from Lightning

Lightning strikes, before, after, and during a storm, are frequent, and even have their own visual appeal. But they can be very dangerous if you expose yourself, even superficially and needlessly, to some risk. For example: standing under a tree while there is lightning is extremely dangerous..

In technical terms, lightning is a large electrical discharge that occurs in the atmosphere due to a difference in electrical potential. They are most commonly seen in blizzards or thunderstorms. But in rare cases, they can also occur during blizzards, sandstorms, or even volcanic eruptions. They typically occur between two clouds, cumulonimbus clouds to be precise, or between a cloud and the Earth's surface. The high difference in electrical potential in the atmosphere triggers a huge spark that results in a lightning bolt with a staggering voltage: approximately 300 million volts for every 100 metersBut how can it be dangerous for humans and how can we protect ourselves?

Index of topics

How can lightning strike?

What you see when you observe lightning is first a delusion, that is, the lightning which propagates for hundreds of meters in the air or towards the ground. Finally, the roar, better known as the TuonoThis time interval between the two phenomena is created due to the different speed of propagation of the light, 300 thousand kilometers per second, and of the sound, 340 meters per second.

A lightning bolt usually finds its way with less electrical resistance along its path. This means that any object protruding higher up is potentially more at risk. Trees, chimneys, buildings, antennas, mountain peaks, and even a standing person can all be hit by this phenomenon. But if we're outdoors when a storm begins, how can we protect ourselves from lightning?

What attracts lightning to your home and how to protect yourself

The presence of electrically conductive elements o protruding parts In our homes, it facilitates the path of electrical discharges and lightning strikes. In particular, lightning is attracted to:

Chimneys
Electrical devices connected to the outside
Adjacent high voltage pylons
Antennas, including satellite dishes

We can suffer even serious damage, especially to the electrical system or to expensive household appliances, from lightning strikes, so in some cases, especially when the storms are of a decidedly higher intensity than normal, It is preferable to disconnect the antenna cable and the central electrical panel, precisely to avoid this type of problem.

Protecting your home from lightning is important, even though homes generally offer good protection. However, during a storm, there are some precautions to take to avoid accidents, as lightning can still cause damage to electrical, plumbing, and telephone systems. Otherwise, homes have a very high level of protection from lightning, but if the storm is severe and prolonged, it's still advisable to:

Do not use home appliances, desktop computers, televisions or consoles connected to the mains.
Do not touch sockets, plugs or cables.
Avoid charging your phone during a thunderstorm.

How to protect yourself from lightning outdoors

First of all, you need to know how to look around and try to stay away from any sharp objects or objects that can attract electricityThe general advice is to avoid hiding under trees, especially if they're isolated, and to stay in open spaces and crouch or find shelter as quickly as possible. Remember that your car is one of the safest places to protect yourself from lightning. Therefore, if necessary, a solution may be within reach. But let's see, depending on the circumstances, what actions are best to adopt to avoid exposing yourself to potentially deadly risks.

How to protect yourself from lightning in the mountains and at the lake

In the mountains or near a lake, there are various ways to protect yourself from these lethal electrical discharges. If you're near a shelter, near your car, or near a building, it's obviously easier. Simply take refuge inside and wait for it to pass. But what if you're in the middle of a mountain hike and there's no shelter nearby?

Study the area where you are
Get away from the wood and from any tree as soon as possible
Avoid standing or lie down
To squat or sit down
Look for an open space without the presence of spikes, lace or tall, tapered materials
Always carry a rain jacket with you, the umbrella must not be opened.
Avoid staying on elevated paths, exposed or pointed in shape, such as ridges or summits, and immediately descend in altitude.
If you are with other people, Do not hold hands and walk at least 10 meters apart from each other.

In any case, even if you look at the weather forecast, the mountains can experience changeable weather. It can go from clear skies to completely overcast in a flash. Therefore, before setting out on an adventure, always make sure you have the right clothing and everything you need. Taking risks in the mountains can be truly dangerous.

How to protect yourself from lightning at sea

Summer storms can sometimes interrupt a beach vacation. This is especially true if lightning strikes, increasing the risk of injury. Guidelines for protecting yourself from lightning include:

Avoid bathing as water is a good electrical conductor
Leave the beach if possible
If this is not possible, squat in an open space
Move away from umbrellas, protruding objects and conductive materials
Lightning strikes at the tips, so it's best to stay away from anything that has this shape.
Don't do it surf: it is very dangerous during thunderstorms
Remember that with lightning, conductive metals such as iron and copper become very dangerous.

How to protect yourself from lightning in the countryside

The same goes for trips to the countryside. Protecting yourself from lightning here is easier than in the mountains, but you should never play with these phenomena. If you're camping, for example, it's best to leave your tent and travel by car or caravan. But as a general rule, if you don't have a car or shelter nearby, the following rules apply:

Look for open spaces
Moving away from the trees
Avoid standing or lying down
Stay crouched away from conductive or protruding elements

Each of these measures can really make a difference during a storm.

Why is the car safe in lightning?

It is true that the statement You are safer in the car than outside during a thunderstorm. But it's also true that it depends on the materials it's made of. In fact, a car with an all-metal body can act as a cage, a bit like the one studied by Faraday, but not quite the same. However, the principles are the same. If lightning were to strike the vehicle, the metal would act as a conductor and would not discharge inside the vehicle, but rather to the ground. Furthermore, the tires they are insulators and therefore protect drivers from potential lightning strikes that strike the earth's surface. Problems can arise when a car has a body mixed with plastic or other derivatives. Even worse is the case with a fabric roof, as is the case with convertibles. For this reason, it's important to always seek the best solutions in the event of dangerous weather events and opt for the safest one.

Is lightning dangerous for an airplane in flight?

Every airplane in flight is struck by at least one lightning strike on average in a year, or approximately every 10 hours of operation. Just like a car, an aircraft is also protected by metal armor. This armor recalls the Faraday cage Therefore, instead of entering the interior, lightning travels along the outer shell and then continues its path through the atmosphere. Lightning-related accidents are rare, with the most recent occurring in Europe in 1981 and even in the USA in 1962. Safety systems and new technologies have made airplanes increasingly safe.

What are the most dangerous lightning strikes?

The most dangerous lightning strikes appear to be those with positive charge which originate from cumulonimbus clouds and follow a downward trajectory to discharge on the Earth's surface. These are hundreds of times more destructive than classic negatively charged lightning bolts. These are also known to take place in clear sky striking the ground with extraordinary force. Lightning strikes that originate in this manner can also dig craters several centimeters deep and perforate building materials. At the same time, one must not forget the danger of lightning strikes, also known as spider, because of the way they propagate through the atmosphere, creating dozens of electrifying legs. These phenomena are particularly worrying due to the vast and uncontrolled area they affect.

Lightning and climate emergency

The correlation between lightning and climate change It was investigated by a team of researchers from the University of Berkeley. Californian climatologists have conducted studies on how global warming could lead to an increase in these weather events. Specifically, the researchers focused on the triggers and highlighted that as temperatures rise, lightning strikes and related events will also increase. With 4°C (9°F) warming in the United States, they predicted a 50 percent increase in these events by the end of the century. An astonishing number considering how many there are already: approximately 6.000 lightning strikes per minute.

The mini-guide to protecting yourself from lightning