Advertisement

Six ways to stay safe in your house if lightning is striking outside

 
Lightning strikes inland east of the Dunedin Causeway as storms worked their way through Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in this 2018 file photo. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD   |   Times]
Lightning strikes inland east of the Dunedin Causeway as storms worked their way through Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in this 2018 file photo. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]
Published Aug. 8, 2019

Click here to read this story in Spanish.

You're in a hurry to get ready for work but hear thunder in the distance and think, I've got time for a quick shower.

A storm just rolled through your neighborhood, but it sounds like it is moving away. It's fine to put a load of laundry in the wash, right?

Lightning is flashing outside your home and your child is sprawled on the floor in front of the TV. Let me finish my video game, he says.

Well, no.

RELATED LINK: Five things to know about lightning after Clearwater Beach strike

While a substantial building, i.e., an enclosed building with wiring and plumbing and the windows closed, is one of the best places to ride out a storm, there are measures you need to follow to keep your family safe, says National Weather Service lightning safety expert Jeff Peters.

After all, you don't want to be in the bathroom when lightning strikes your lawn, causing your toilet to explode, as recently happened to a couple in Port Charlotte.

In addition to a direct strike, lightning can enter your home through plumbing, wiring, phone lines, even a television antenna on your roof. While the chances of being struck by lightning are remote (less than 1 in 1 million in a given year, according to National Weather Service data), a strike from as far as 10 miles away can present a real danger. Here's how to stay safe:

1. Avoid plumbing altogether

No showers, baths, doing dishes or washing your hands. If you don't have to use the toilet, don't. Best to wait until after the storm passes.

"Avoid it altogether," Peters says. "Even if the storm is going to last a while, you just don't want to take that chance."

2. Don't touch electronics

Lightning will travel through wiring to get to the ground, so you don't want to be on anything that is plugged in.

If you know there's a chance of a thunderstorm overnight, Peters recommends unplugging electronics before going to bed.

If you don't have time for that, at least avoid using televisions, computers, washers, dryers, corded phones (cellular or cordless phones are fine) or any other electronic devices or appliances.

But don't unplug equipment during a storm, as there is a risk you could be struck.

As far as protecting your equipment, surge protectors aren't much help if your electronics are struck by lightning.

"The ampage in lightning is really strong," Peters said, "so it's gonna overpower it."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Eight injured in Clearwater Beach lightning strike

3. Stay away from windows and doors

As an aspiring meteorologist, Peters said he used to peek out of windows for a better look at approaching storms. But his mother cautioned him to stay away from them. That's because metal around exterior windows and doors conducts electricity.

Peters recalled a story about a bank teller who was working at the drive-through window when lightning made its way through an ungrounded speaker to the stool where he was sitting. The man survived but continues to have health issues, including memory problems, 50 years later.

Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter

We’ll deliver the latest news and information you need to know every morning.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

You'll also want to avoid touching anything metal if you're inside a car. When lightning strikes a vehicle, it goes through the metal frame into the ground. Because of this, it's actually the metal roof and sides of the car that protect you from lightning, not the rubber tires.

4. Close your blinds

It goes without saying that you want to close your windows during a thunderstorm. (You also want to stay off balconies, porches and out of open garages or car ports.)

But you also want to pull your blinds. Since storms often bring strong winds, and in some cases, hail, they can break windows. Closing the blinds limits how much glass or outside debris enters your home.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man who died in Clearwater lightning strike was Scot who loved soccer and life

5. Stay away from concrete walls and floors

Be careful which surfaces you stand on, lie on or lean against. Concrete is another conductor of electricity.

6. Wait a half hour before resuming your normal activities

Wait until 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before going outside, using the water in your house or resuming use of electronics. If you hear another rumble, start the count all over again. It could be a sign of another storm approaching.

"I know people want to get on with their lives," Peters said, "but you just don't want to take a chance with the lightning."