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. Lightning is incredibly powerful and dangerous,

00:31reaching more than 50,000 degrees hotter than the surface of the sun.

00:36Lightning is extremely dangerous. Oftentimes people wait too long to get to a safe place

00:42and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially a deadly situation.

00:46John Jensenius with the National Lightning Safety Council says it's best to play it safe.

00:52Avoid showers during a thunderstorm. Check the forecast before heading out to the beach,

00:57going fishing or hiking, or to an outdoor event. And never try to take shelter under a tree.

01:04People think that metal attracts lightning. And metal does not attract lightning,

01:08but metal is a good conductor of electricity. So if lightning strikes your house,

01:13it's going to follow the metal, either the wires or the plumbing.

01:17And if you are washing your hands, doing dishes, taking a shower,

01:22those are all potentially dangerous activities during a thunderstorm.

01:26Lightning awareness and technology have made a big difference in recent years,

01:30helping to keep more people safe. You can get AccuWeather lightning alerts for free.

01:35Just download the AccuWeather app on your phone. Reporting for AccuWeather, I'm Bill Waddell.

01:40I'm Bill Waddell.

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