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Staying Safe When Thunder Roars!

Even when storms are not severe, lightning can present a danger to life and property. Here's what you need to know to stay safe!

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — You've likely heard the saying "When thunder roars, go indoors.", but due to the frequency of lightning in West Michigan many tend to not treat this weather phenomena with the respect it deserves. 

Lightning strikes are responsible for numerous deaths and damage to property each year, with many of those happening to people who are standing out in the open or near a tall object such as a tree. Looking at the data it also appears that men tend to underestimate the danger of lightning when compared to women, with around 80% of lightning fatalities happening to males.

Even if you survive a lightning strike, you may suffer life long side-effects from the encounter, so it is best to avoid the risk and head inside whenever you see lightning or hear thunder in your area. 

Credit: WZZM
Statistics around lightning fatalities.

How Lightning Forms:

Lightning forms when charges separate in a cloud due to the updrafts and downdrafts associated with a growing storm. 

When a cloud first starts to form the charges are all mixed together and the cloud has a neutral state. As time goes on the positive charges make their way to the top of the cloud and the negative charges toward the bottom. This gives the cloud an electric potential, almost like a giant battery. 

As the negative charge starts to migrate down from the cloud it will draw up positive charges from objects at ground level. When the two opposing charges come into contact a massive amount of energy is released in the form of a lightning strike.

The whole process can take less than a second.

Credit: Michael Behrens
The formation of a lightning strike.

Lightning Safety Tips:

The best tip is to head inside as soon as you hear thunder or see lighting and to stay inside until that threat has passed. You never want to be on or near a tall object, such as a construction worker on a house or standing out by a tree. You also don't want to be out in an open area like a field or on water either, as you will be the tallest object for which lightning can be attracted to. 

Once you've gone indoors it is best to stay away from windows, doors, plumbing, and to avoid using electronics that are not wireless. The reason for this being that lightning can pass through the entry points of your house or travel into your house via the pipes or electrical/phone/internet cables.

Outdoor shelters like dugouts and picnic coverings do not make good shelter from a thunderstorm, so if you cannot make it inside a sturdy structure, your car is the next best place to go. 

Credit: Michael Behrens
Basic lightning safety tips.

When planning any outdoor activities it is best to watch the 13 On Your Side forecast ahead of time so you know what weather threats to expect during your outing. You can also track the storms, and see where the lightning is, using the 13 On Your Side Weather App! 

-- Meteorologist Michael Behrens

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