Lightning Safety
In the United States, an average of 67 people are killed each year by lightning. That's more than the annual number of people killed by tornadoes or hurricanes.
25 million cloud to ground lightning strikes occur in the United States each year.
The air within a lightning strike can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
One ground lightning strike can generate between 100 million and 1 billion volts of electricity.
Lightning Safety Tips:
If a storm is approaching, avoid being in, or near high places, open fields, isolated trees, unprotected gazebos, rain or picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, communications towers, flag poles, bleachers (metal or wood), metal fences, convertibles, golf carts or water.
The principle lightning safety guide is the 30-30 rule. The first “30” represents 30 seconds. If the time between when you see the flash and hear the thunder is 30 seconds or less, the lightning is close enough to hit you. If you haven’t already, immediately seek shelter. The second “30” stands for 30 minutes. After the last flash of lightning, wait for 30 minutes before leaving your shelter. More than one half of all lightning deaths occur after a thunderstorm has passed.
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