Experts explain how to stay safe in severe weather and lightning
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Southwestern Pennsylvania has been hit with countless severe storms in recent months, and this week happens to be Lightning Safety Awareness Week.
You probably know the saying when thunder roars, go indoors. But KDKA-TV First Alert Meteorologist Ray Petelin and the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh have some information and advice to keep you safe.
"If you're close enough to hear the thunder, you're close enough to be struck by lightning," Petelin said. "If you see lightning or hear thunder, don't play around. A lot of people like to think, oh, we can wait a couple more minutes. Just get inside, be safe," he said.
That's because lightning can strike miles away from a storm. Petelin said there is also a phenomenon known as "bolt from the blue."
"You can have sunshine overhead. But if there's a thunderstorm nearby, you can still be struck by that lightning. Lightning doesn't always go straight down. Sometimes lightning goes parallel. Lightning takes the path of least resistance. And if that path of least resistance means there's no thunderstorm above you, it can still get you," he said.
Petelin said if you can't bolt indoors, never go under a tree. Lightning can strike down trees and power lines.
"You never want to go under a tree. A lot of people will think that's a safe place to go for safety and shelter from the rain. But lightning is so powerful it'll split the tree," he said.
Lightning can also spark fires, like the blaze at a Monessen home on June 20.
It can also be deadly. There've been 15 lightning deaths in the state since 2006, including two in Mt. Pleasant in 2019.
According to Vaisala's Xweather annual lightning report, there were more than 1,416,675 lightning strikes in Pennsylvania in 2023. Pennsylvania ranked at 31 on the list.
Did you know you can be injured by lightning even when you're indoors? That's the topic NWS focused on Wednesday. Its safety advice?
- Do not touch anything plugged into an electrical outlet like computers and TVs.
- Avoid using plumbing, including sinks and showers.
- Keep away from outside doors and windows.
"A lot of houses here get struck by lightning, but still being inside your home is better than being outside," Petelin said.
According to the NWS, it is safe to go back outside 30 minutes after you hear the last crack of thunder.