ORLANDO, Fla. – Lightning claims around 20 lives per year in the United States with hundreds more injured.
[VIDEO ABOVE: 5 shocking lightning myths]
So far this year three lives have been lost due to lightning. One of those lives was Sunday in Gunter, Texas. The other two were in Mississippi and North Carolina in April.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 90% of people struck by lightning survive, but many report long-term effects like neurological issues or chronic pain.
So let’s talk beyond how to stay safe from lightning, and dig deeper into how it can strike a person. Lightning isn’t just a direct hit from the sky—there are multiple ways it can strike someone, each with unique dangers.
1. Direct Strike
This is the one we all imagine—lightning coming straight down and hitting someone in open air. It’s less common than the others, but when it happens, the results can be devastating. The victim becomes part of the discharge channel, with electricity often traveling through the chest and nervous system. As lightning moves over the skin, burns are possible, even superficial, but it’s the internal damage that’s most dangerous.
2. Ground (Step) Current
When lightning hits the ground or a tree, the electrical energy radiates outward. If you’re standing nearby, current can enter one foot and exit the other, traveling through your body. In fact, ground current is responsible for more lightning injuries and deaths than direct strikes. The greater the distance between contact points, the greater the likelihood for death or serious injury.
3. Side Flash (Side Splash)
Picture lightning hitting a nearby tree, then jumping to a person standing within a few feet of it. That leap, known as side flash, can be deadly—even if you’re trying to take cover under a tree (which shouldn’t be done) during a storm to avoid other elements like heavy rain or hail.
4. Conduction (Contact Strike)
Ever heard “don’t use wired appliances during a storm”? That’s because lightning can travel through metal pipes, wiring, and anything connected to the exterior—like faucets, corded phones, or plugged-in devices. If you’re in contact, the current follows the metal straight into you.
And while it might sound like an old wives’ tale, you shouldn’t shower during a storm. Lightning can travel through plumbing. If you’re in the shower or using running water during a storm, that current can reach you. Wait until the storm passes to stay safe.
5. Streamers (Upward Leaders)
As a storm builds, electrical charges sometimes shoot up from the ground—these are called streamers. Rarely, these meet the main lightning channel and complete the circuit. Even though it’s uncommon, it can still result in injury or death.
Why This Matters & How to Stay Safe
- Chances of being struck by lightning depends on your behavior when storms are in the area.
- The threat for lightning increases as a storm approaches, peaks overhead, and then slowly diminishes as the storm moves away.
- Ground currents are stealthy and widespread—so during storms, avoid open spaces and tall objects.
- Indoors isn’t automatically safe—stay away from plumbing, wires, and plugged-in appliances
- Always heed the thunder: If you hear it, lightning is close enough to strike—go indoors and stay off those exposed surfaces.