How to stay safe and prepared for lightning

AccuWeather

More than 200 million lightning events are detected in the U.S. every year. You can stay safe and prepared with AccuWeather Lightning Alerts on the AccuWeather app.

Transcript

00:01It takes special technology to detect lightning strikes.

00:04We have AccuWeather lightning network sensors right here on the roof of our AccuWeather Global Weather Center

00:10and deployed at locations across the country.

00:15If you have the AccuWeather app and our lightning network detects a strike within 10 miles of your location,

00:20you'll get an AccuWeather lightning alert through the AccuWeather app on your phone or tablet,

00:25warning you of the approaching storm.

00:28More than 200 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes and in-cloud flashes were detected in the U.S. last year.

00:35Lightning is incredibly powerful and dangerous,

00:39reaching more than 50,000 degrees, hotter than the surface of the sun.

00:44Lightning is extremely dangerous.

00:46Oftentimes, people wait too long to get to a safe place,

00:50and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially a deadly situation.

00:54John Jensenius with the National Lightning Safety Council says it's best to play it safe.

00:59Avoid showers during a thunderstorm.

01:01Check the forecast before heading out to the beach, going fishing or hiking, or to an outdoor event.

01:08And never try to take shelter under a tree.

01:11People think that metal attracts lightning.

01:13And metal does not attract lightning, but metal is a good conductor of electricity.

01:18So if lightning strikes your house, it's going to follow the metal, either the wires or the plumbing.

01:24And if you are washing your hands, doing dishes, taking a shower, those are all potentially dangerous activities during a thunderstorm.

01:33Lightning awareness and technology have made a big difference in recent years, helping to keep more people safe.

01:40You can get AccuWeather Lightning Alerts for free.

01:42Just download the AccuWeather app on your phone.

01:45Reporting for AccuWeather, I'm Bill Waddell.

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