"Although I do like this piece of advice from one wag: If there's a risk of lightning grab your 1-iron. Even God can't hit a 1-iron "
Lee Trevino plays at your club??
A car is totally safe, as the lightning hits the metal outer casing of the car, and travels round it straight to Earth. It doesn't penetrate to the inside.
As far as being outside in a thunderstorm, the clue is NOT to stand if the lightning is severe, close and of the cloud to Earth variety. Lie flat, and preferably in a ditch.
Obviously there are varying degrees of severity with thunderstorms and the individual has to make a judgement as to when precautions directly need to be taken.
A car is totally safe, as the lightning hits the metal and travels round it straight to Earth. It doesn't penetrate to the inside.
As far as being outside in a thunderstorm, the clue is NOT to stand if the lightning is severe, close and of the cloud to Earth variety. Lie flat, and preferably in a ditch.
Obviously there are varying degrees of severity with thunderstorms and the individual has to make a judgement as to when precautions directly need to be taken.
Lying flat and in a ditch is probably the worst thing you can do. Ditches tend to contain water or moisture which is the route of least resistance, lying flat will allow the charge to pass through all your major organs, best to stand foot to foot thus bypassing the major organs.
Lying flat and in a ditch is probably the worst thing you can do. Ditches tend to contain water or moisture which is the route of least resistance, lying flat will allow the charge to pass through all your major organs, best to stand foot to foot thus bypassing the major organs.
If there is no shelter at all nearby, crouch in a low lying ditch. Get down as low as you can and keep down. Avoid being near high objects that will attract the lightning.
A ditch is bad as it offers the current the path of least resistance due to being wet or damp, a human generally has a lower resistance than soil so standing in a wet or damp ditch is a very very bad idea. That link in general is rubbish as a lightning strike does not always travel to earth but can travel from earth as well. If you stand in a low lying area preferably on the driest ground with your feet together you have a better chance of survival, it is simple physics.
A thunderstorm is a lightning storm. Unless thunder is now caused by something else - it always used to be lightning, but hey, maybe I'm out of date.
You have clearly never been in a room with me after eating my Chilli. Very loud thunder, without a trace of lightning, though occasionally a scattering of pebbles.
You can't have thunder without lightning or vice versa.
Anyway, I'm not entirely sure, but would you be any safer if you lay flat on the ground?
Not true. You CAN have lightning without thunder. Light travels further than sound. It is entirely possible to see lightning without hearing any thunder.
The lightning will vapourise the sap which will cause the tree to explode, firing shrapnel all about. Also the lightning tends to arc over to other objects nearby - i.e. you.
A ditch is bad as it offers the current the path of least resistance due to being wet or damp, a human generally has a lower resistance than soil so standing in a wet or damp ditch is a very very bad idea. That link in general is rubbish as a lightning strike does not always travel to earth but can travel from earth as well. If you stand in a low lying area preferably on the driest ground with your feet together you have a better chance of survival, it is simple physics.
During most thunderstorms everywhere outside will be wet, as there is usually torrential rain.
Upward streamers emerge from tall grounded structures closest to the stepped leader coming from the cloud. Not from the ground itself, unless the area is totally flat, in which case being in a ground depression such as a ditch offers greater protection ~ link
Upward streamers
A lightning flash terminates [& discharge occurs] on a tree while an un-attached streamer is visible on the earth surface projection to the left.When a stepped leader approaches the ground, the presence of opposite charges on the ground enhances the strength of the electric field. The electric field is strongest on grounded objects whose tops are closest to the base of the thundercloud, such as trees and tall buildings. If the electric field is strong enough, a positively charged ionic channel, called a positive or upward streamer, can develop from these points. This was first theorized by Heinz Kasemir.[24][25]
As negatively charged leaders approach, increasing the localized electric field strength, grounded objects already experiencing corona discharge exceed a threshold and form upward streamers.
During most thunderstorms everywhere outside will be wet, as there is usually torrential rain.
Upward streamers emerge from tall grounded structures closest to the stepped leader coming from the cloud. Not from the ground itself, unless the area is totally flat, in which case being in a ground depression such as a ditch offers greater protection ~ link
If you say so:D, come back and let me know after the fact:p
I've had the weather as a hobby since I was 10. I'm pretty familiar with these things.
I do agree with you about keeping the feet together though, and if the ditch is deep enough, crouching is better than lying flat. The ultimate aim is to keep your body from sticking out above ground level.
Neil5234
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Second best a metal cage (a car would work as a metal cage).
If there's no building or car then crouch down at the lowest point (like a ditch) and cover your head.
If there is no low point then crouch underneath the shortest of a group of trees in preference to being out in the open.
I'm an avid golfer whose club is on the top of a hill so I've done the research
Although I do like this piece of advice from one wag: If there's a risk of lightning grab your 1-iron. Even God can't hit a 1-iron
And wearing rubber wellies.
Lee Trevino plays at your club??
lightening storm? you mean lightning storm?
A car is totally safe, as the lightning hits the metal outer casing of the car, and travels round it straight to Earth. It doesn't penetrate to the inside.
As far as being outside in a thunderstorm, the clue is NOT to stand if the lightning is severe, close and of the cloud to Earth variety. Lie flat, and preferably in a ditch.
Obviously there are varying degrees of severity with thunderstorms and the individual has to make a judgement as to when precautions directly need to be taken.
Lying flat and in a ditch is probably the worst thing you can do. Ditches tend to contain water or moisture which is the route of least resistance, lying flat will allow the charge to pass through all your major organs, best to stand foot to foot thus bypassing the major organs.
advice link
Depending on the tree that could well be one of the worst places to stand.
A ditch is bad as it offers the current the path of least resistance due to being wet or damp, a human generally has a lower resistance than soil so standing in a wet or damp ditch is a very very bad idea. That link in general is rubbish as a lightning strike does not always travel to earth but can travel from earth as well. If you stand in a low lying area preferably on the driest ground with your feet together you have a better chance of survival, it is simple physics.
You can't have thunder without lightning or vice versa.
Anyway, I'm not entirely sure, but would you be any safer if you lay flat on the ground?
You have clearly never been in a room with me after eating my Chilli. Very loud thunder, without a trace of lightning, though occasionally a scattering of pebbles.
Not true. You CAN have lightning without thunder. Light travels further than sound. It is entirely possible to see lightning without hearing any thunder.
The lightning will vapourise the sap which will cause the tree to explode, firing shrapnel all about. Also the lightning tends to arc over to other objects nearby - i.e. you.
During most thunderstorms everywhere outside will be wet, as there is usually torrential rain.
Upward streamers emerge from tall grounded structures closest to the stepped leader coming from the cloud. Not from the ground itself, unless the area is totally flat, in which case being in a ground depression such as a ditch offers greater protection ~ link
You are safest in a ditch.
If you say so:D, come back and let me know after the fact:p
Have a jefferies, it works both directions
http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/85526/view
I've had the weather as a hobby since I was 10. I'm pretty familiar with these things.
I do agree with you about keeping the feet together though, and if the ditch is deep enough, crouching is better than lying flat. The ultimate aim is to keep your body from sticking out above ground level.
Reverse lightning is very rare. You'd have to be the unluckiest guy in the world to be lying flat and electrocuted by it :eek:
....and like upward streamers, it has only been recorded coming off high objects like buildings.....