Learn Life-Saving Facts and Tips During National Lightning Safety Awareness Week
"When thunder roars, go indoors," is the mantra of meteorologists nationwide. The National Lighting Safety Council, the National Weather Service, and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue's Office of Emergency Management want to remind you the importance of being safe while outdoors during storm season. Don't let lightning catch you off guard.
Lightning Safety Awareness Week facts and tips
U.S. lightning facts
- 25 million flashes of cloud-to-ground lightning occur each year.
- Lighting is FAST. A flash drops down from a cloud at about 200,000 mph.
- Lightning can strike more than 10 miles from a thunderstorm.
- You can hear thunder about 10 miles from a lightning strike. If you hear thunder, you are likely in striking distance from the storm.
- In the past ten years, nearly 250 people have died in the United States from lightning strikes and hundreds more have sustained injuries, some life altering.
Florida lightning facts
- Florida has 1.2 million flashes of lightning a year.
- Florida leads the nation in density of flashes, averaging 21 flashes per square mile annually.
Tips for a safe day outside
- When lightning is seen or thunder is heard, GO INSIDE.
- Check the forecast before making plans, and if thunderstorms are predicted, consider changing course or have a backup plan.
- Before beginning an outdoor activity, know safe places to go and where not to go if lightning is in the area. The best places are a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle.
- Avoid rain shelters, sheds, porches, balconies, and open-topped cars as they do not provide adequate protection from lightning strikes.
- Wait 30 minutes after the last lightning flash or rumble to resume outdoor activities.
If lightning strikes a building, it will follow plumbing or electrical to the ground. Once you are safely inside and away from lightning, experts recommend avoiding anything plugged into an electrical outlet, plumbing, corded phones, and windows and doors to the outside. They also say not to lay on garage floors (just in case you were tempted).
Stay Safe
Taking safety precautions before and during an outdoor activity will greatly reduce your risk of a lightning strike and increase your chances of a summer filled with the outdoor activities you love.
During hurricane season, visit Hillsborough County's Stay Safe page and social media channels frequently and sign up for HCFL Alert to stay up to date and informed in real time.
Get connected. Stay alert.