Editor’s note: April 12-16 is tornado and severe weather awareness week. In recognition, the Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management has released the following information:
Welcome to the last day of tornado and severe weather awareness week. Today’s topic is lightning.
Lightning strikes the United States about 25 million times each year. Thunderstorms produce deadly lightning capable of striking up to 10 miles away from the storm, so even if you don’t see rain you could be in harm’s way. Remember this simple message: When thunder roars, go indoors.
Facts about lightning:
• On average, over 40 people die each year due to lightning.
• Lightning bolts can jump 10 or more miles from their parent cloud into regions with blue skies.
• Temperature of lightning: estimated 50,000°F (hotter than the surface of the sun).
• Odds of being struck by lightning: approx. 1 in 600,000.
• Nine out of 10 lightning bolts strike the continents rather than oceans.
• For each lightning bolt that hits the ground, about 200,000 pounds of rain are also formed.
30/30 lightning safety rule
Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder. Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder.
Note: The 30/30 Rule says to stop activities and take precautions when lighting is six miles away. Use a “flash to bang (lightning to thunder)” count of five seconds to calculate distance: 10 seconds is equal to two miles, 20 seconds is equal to four miles, 30 seconds is equal to six miles.
Fun Facts
Did you ever wonder about weather folklore? Here’s one to ponder: Rainbow in the morning gives you fair warning.
Finally, a little humor from Bob Hope: If I’m on the course and lightning starts, I get inside fast. If God wants to play through, let him.
Have a safe spring and summer.
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