What Causes Thunder and Lightning?
Lightning occurs when the clouds acquire an electric charge because of the friction between the particles of clouds and the air. The positive charges accumulate at the upper edge of the cloud and negative charges near the lower edges.
Positive charges accumulate near the earth’s surface also.
Since air is a poor conductor of electricity and cannot accumulate enough charge, so when too much charge accumulates, air cannot resist its flow.
Now, these overloaded positive and negative charges meet; their combination produces streaks of light (lightning) and sound (thunder) in the sky because of the static electricity.
What is Thunderstorm?
Thunderstorms contain lightning and thunder. Thunderstorms are rain showers with an explosive noise, which we call thunder.
The meeting of positive and negative charges produce streaks of light known as lightning; this process is known as electric discharge. These streaks of light can be seen on the days of heavy rainfall.
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Lightning occurs because of static electricity. This electric discharge of static electricity can occur between two charged regions of the same cloud, the different clouds, or even between the cloud and the earth.
Thunder is a noise caused by lightning. The clouds that cause thunder and lightning are ‘Cumulonimbus clouds.’
We believe that we are safe from lightning when we are indoors; however, a lightning strike can easily destroy your life and affect your property too. So, we need to take safety measures for lightning to avoid these incidents.
Safety Measures During Lightning
If you have seen any building under construction, a metallic rod taller than the building is installed in the building, where one end is buried deep in the earth and the other end is kept open in the air. If you might have seen that, I have an image to remind you of the same, please look at the below picture:
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Can you explain the reason for installing a metallic rod in the building under construction? If not, need not worry, stay on this page to get all the safety measures for thunderstorms with lightning.
Here, a metallic rod works like a lightning conductor. These accumulated electric charges meet together and explode as a streak of light with an explosive sound viz: thunder to the earth’s surface. When they reach the building, the lightning rod behaves as a protective shield or an electrostatic shield, do you know how?
The metallic rod behaves like esophagus here. Just as we swallow the food and excrete the waste, electric charges behave like food, the lightning conductor becomes a food pipe that swallows charge and excretes charges to the ground, where excretion is ‘Grounding’.
Thunderstorm Safety Measures
It is rightly said that when thunder roars like a lion, don’t become a lion, instead stay indoors, stay safe. However, only staying indoors also doesn’t help, we must follow the underlying protocols even indoors to keep ourselves safe:
Avoid water usage during thunderstorms
During lightning, a strengthening shower of charges comes along with the lightning strike. While using water, we may get a powerful electric shock and die because lightning can easily travel along with the plumbing including pipes, baths, sinks, etc.
Avoid electrical equipment or appliances
All the electrical appliances like TV, radio reception systems can easily capture charges showering as streaks. This, in turn, can cause heavy loss of life and property. Better is to avoid their usage during thunderstorms.
Avoid Corded Phones
Replace corded phones with cell phones or cordless phones.
Avoid touching concrete floors and walls
Without any lightning conductor, charges can easily sway like a wave on the concrete walls, and therefore, touching these walls can destroy your life.
Now, let’s learn how to protect ourselves and our loved ones during a thunderstorm. Being lightning during lightning is not a thing to be taken easy.
Safety Measures During Thunderstorm
Now, let’s look at the safety measures for thunderstorm when we are outdoor:
Plan a trip or journey according to the weather forecast. If in case, thunders start roaring suddenly, find an enclosed shelter nearby, to protect yourself from this life-taking adventure.
You can use a 30-30 rule. In this rule, After you see lightning, you start counting till 30. If in case, you hear thunders before you reach 30, find an indoor for your safety. Also, suspend ongoing vacations or trips.
If you do not find a shelter, bend on your knees, bring yourself very close to the ground because lightning causes electric currents above the ground. This lightning can be deadly over 100 ft away.
Stay away from a concrete wall because lightning can travel via a metal wire or bars in concrete walls. So, it would be better to have a metallic taller to protect your life and property.
The Final Words
Lightning strikes are rare and dangerous but still they happen to cause a huge risk of serious injury and even death. So, we need to take thunderstorms seriously.
FAQs on Lightning Thunderstorm Safety Measures
1. What are the most important safety measures to follow during a thunderstorm?
The most crucial safety measure during a thunderstorm is to seek shelter immediately. Remember the rule: “When thunder roars, go indoors.” A sturdy building or a hard-topped vehicle are the safest places. Avoid open spaces, water bodies, and tall, isolated objects like trees and poles. Stay indoors for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.
2. What specific safety precautions should be taken if you are outdoors during a lightning storm?
If caught outdoors with no shelter nearby:
Move away from tall objects like trees, flagpoles, or light posts.
Avoid open fields, hilltops, or any high ground.
Do not lie flat on the ground. Instead, crouch down into a ball-like position with your feet together and head tucked low. This minimises your contact with the ground.
Stay away from water bodies like lakes, ponds, or rivers, and avoid contact with metal objects like fences or bleachers.
3. What are the key safety tips for staying safe from lightning inside a house?
To stay safe indoors during a thunderstorm, you should:
Avoid contact with water. Do not take a shower, wash dishes, or do laundry, as lightning can travel through plumbing.
Unplug electronic appliances like computers and televisions to protect them from power surges.
Avoid using corded phones. Mobile phones and cordless phones are generally safe to use.
Stay away from windows, doors, and concrete walls, as lightning can travel through metal wires or rebar in them.
4. Why is it safer to be inside a car during a thunderstorm than under a tree?
It is safer inside a car because its metal body acts as a Faraday cage. If lightning strikes the car, the electric charge flows over the outer metal shell and is safely conducted to the ground, protecting the occupants inside. In contrast, a tall tree is a likely target for a lightning strike, and standing beneath it poses a very high risk of injury from a direct hit or a side flash.
5. What is a lightning conductor and how does it protect tall buildings?
A lightning conductor is a metal rod or device installed on top of a tall building to protect it from a lightning strike. It works by providing a low-resistance path for the lightning to travel to the ground. When lightning strikes, it hits the rod and the massive electric charge is safely channelled through a metal strip or cable into the earth, a process known as earthing or grounding. This prevents the charge from passing through the building itself, thus avoiding fire and structural damage.
6. What is the difference between lightning and thunder, and why do you see lightning before you hear thunder?
Lightning is a massive electrostatic discharge—a giant spark of electricity—between clouds, or between a cloud and the ground. Thunder is the sound created by the rapid heating and expansion of the air surrounding the lightning bolt. You see lightning before you hear thunder because light travels much faster than sound. The speed of light is approximately 300,000,000 metres per second, while the speed of sound is only about 343 metres per second.
7. Why do vehicles carrying flammable materials, like petrol tankers, often have metal chains dragging on the ground?
Vehicles in motion can build up static electricity due to friction with the air. For a tanker carrying flammable materials like petrol, a static discharge (a spark) could cause a fire or explosion. The dragging metal chain provides a continuous path to the ground, allowing any accumulated static charge to be safely discharged. This process of earthing prevents a dangerous build-up of charge, especially during a thunderstorm where atmospheric charges are high.
8. Is it safe to use electronic devices like mobile phones or computers during a thunderstorm?
It depends on how the device is connected. Using a mobile phone or any other wireless device is generally safe. However, using devices that are plugged into a wall outlet, like a desktop computer or a charging laptop, is risky. A nearby lightning strike can cause a massive power surge through the electrical wiring, which can destroy the device and cause serious injury to the user. It is always best to unplug all non-essential electronics during a storm.
9. What is the “30-30 rule” for lightning safety?
The 30-30 rule is a simple guideline to help you stay safe from lightning. It has two parts:
First 30: If you see lightning, count the seconds until you hear thunder. If the time is 30 seconds or less, the thunderstorm is close enough to be dangerous. You should immediately seek shelter.
Second 30: After the storm passes, wait for 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before leaving your shelter and resuming outdoor activities.
10. What immediate action should be taken if someone is struck by lightning?
If someone is struck by lightning, call for emergency medical help immediately. A person struck by lightning does not carry an electric charge and is safe to touch. Check if the person is breathing and has a pulse. If not, and you are trained to do so, begin CPR right away. Continue providing aid until medical professionals arrive. The most common cause of death from lightning is cardiac arrest, so immediate action can be life-saving.
