When it’s raining outside and accompanied by thunder, there’s a chance the lightning is pretty close behind and there are some places you shouldn’t go for your own safety – mostly outdoors.
“When thunder rumbles, enter your home and stay there for 30 minutes after the last thunder,” the National Weather Service advises in lightning safety rules. The most damaging possibility in a thunderstorm is lightning.
You may think that being struck by lightning can only happen if you are outside and you are perfectly safe as long as you are at home, but that is not always the case. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency reports that “about one-third of injuries from lightning strikes occur indoors.”
According to John Homenuk, a meteorologist and founder, as you may have seen advice not to shower during a storm, there are other activities you should avoid doing at home until the storm has passed. New York Metro Weather.
5 activities to avoid at home during thunderstorms
Homenuk, the National Weather Service, and the CDC all recommend avoiding these activities at home during lightning storms:
- Shower
- Wash dishes
- Stand near windows, doors, porches and concrete
- Touch an electronic device that is connected to a power outlet (i.e. a computer, laptop, game system, washing machine, dryer, or stove)
- Use a corded phone
Stay away from water
At the start, Homenuk warned against being near or in the water during a thunderstorm.
Showering, bathing, or washing dishes can all pose risks if lightning strikes near your home.
“When lightning happens, it usually travels on the path of least resistance, which will often put it in metal that can go through pipes,” he said. “And obviously that wouldn’t be great if you were in the bathroom.”
The CDC states that the risk of lightning passing through your plumbing is lower for those with plastic pipes instead of metal pipes.
However, the agency still recommends that you “avoid any contact with plumbing and running water during a lightning storm to reduce your risk of being struck by lightning.”
Washing dishes may pose a lower risk than showering, Homenuk says, because your entire body isn’t submerged in water or standing directly under a metal showerhead while the pipes are running. , said Homenuk.
“But in general, if you can, you [should] wait for the storm to pass instead of taking advantage of the water and pipes that could be the conduit for electricity through,” he noted.
These are the safest places to stay indoors and out
Consider these criteria when deciding where to wait for an indoor storm, Homenuk says:
- Is the building sturdy?
- Do I stay away from all windows?
- Am I standing near the interior walls of my home, instead of the exterior walls?
But if you’re in the middle of a thunderstorm outside, make sure you’re not near water, standing near or under trees, or over tall objects, he adds. These locations make you less safe during storms.
Also, if you can’t get home during a bad thunder storm, your car can give you some safety,
“It’s a good secondary option,” he said. “But if there’s a store or another building you can go to that isn’t your home, that’s also a good choice.”
Homenuk often hears that parking in an underground tunnel during a big storm is fraught with risks.
“It’s not safe,” he said. “In fact, when there are high winds, the winds can be stronger and more dangerous underneath those tunnels because they can rush through at greater speeds.” “It also creates a major traffic hazard.”
And if you notice a flood, don’t try to drive through it because your car could get stuck, Homenuk warns. It can be a lot deeper than what the naked eye can see.
Above all, if you can do so safely, “Trying to stay indoors during thunderstorms is the best thing,” says Homenuk.
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