Safety Precautions and Tips

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that if you are in a lightning prone area, keep an ear and eye on your surroundings, particularly the sky. Usually, if you can hear thunder, you're at risk of a possible lightning strike. To gain a rough estimate of how far away the lightning is, count the seconds from when you see the flash until you hear the thunder. Divide this number by 5 (5 seconds is approximately 1 mile) to get the amount of miles.

If a warning has been issued for your area, it is best to turn all electrical appliances off. Also, stay away from things made of metal: faucets, sinks, pipes, etc. Avoid using a phone and make sure any pets you might own are also being kept safe (i.e. leashed or in a kennel).

If you are away from home, find shelter. If you're in a car, stay in it with the windows up. If you're caught in the open with no kind of shelter anywhere, find a low-lying place and tuck into a ball until the storm passes, making sure to touch as little of the ground as possible.