Lightning and what to do...

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by stripee

There is winter lightning and lightning in hail showers often this time of year. Then there are summer thunderstorms. It's hard to predict winter lightning, and if it's in showers, and I've been in the woods at night when you can see it almost in front of you. Also I've lost a couple of modems in the past from single flashes. If you are outside either in the woods or on hills, is it a risk? Also do umbrellas attract lightning? And what about all the other metal bits like on your coat etc? Should you go under bushes or stay out in the open? I know golfers get struck on golf courses. Any information or stories anyone has would be interesting!

Generally make yourself as low to the ground as possible i.e. lay down. If you can find a natural hollow try and secrete yourself in that. If you are amongst trees, again lay down without touching a tree, do not stand up as the bolt can arc across from a tree into you. If this happens you are more likely to survive if you are wet because the bolt will travel through the water on you rather than go through you.

There is a theory that if you bend over and hold your ankles whilst pointing your bum into the air you are less likely to get hit or at least more likely to survive. Hmmm!

A couple of weeks back my Uncle got struck whilst indoors. The lightning hit the tree next to the building he was in, arced across to the building he was in and blew out the electric meter box and him across the room. The biolt went to earth in the gas main, which to was blown out. A rather close shave.

Cheers,

Adam

[Meta menardi]

My Mum always felt safe when wearing a straw hat (large one) during a thunderstorm.

[galanthus]

Hmmm facinating thread.

My ex-fella and I were out walking the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path near Tenby; I remember we were having a political disagreement over the use of bombs which started off when we heard what we thought were target practice on the offshore range. Target practice was actually thunder and we ended up in pouring rain huddled on the floor near but not under very short gorse bushes. It was one of the most scary moments of my life, not a house in sight and we were stuck on a headland in the storm.

When it stopped I wanted to turn back to the beach and head of back to the camping site, however, he argued the storm had gone. At this point a fork of lightening hit the bush near us and we flew back to the beach. We were v traumatised and a kind man gave us a lift back to camp, I felt really bad cos I'd actually snapped 2 of his rods in the back of the car with my boots and never confessed

We also had our tv damaged beyond repair by a lightening strike, came down the terrestial ariel.