Facts about Lightning
- Lightning’s unpredictability increases the risk to individuals and property.
- Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.
- “Heat lightning” is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away from thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction.
- Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon and evening.
- Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000 but could be reduced even further by following safety precautions.
- Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately.
Safety precautions indoors
Avoid water during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through plumbing.
Avoid electronic equipment of all types. Lightning can travel through electrical systems and radio and television reception systems.
Avoid corded phones. However, cordless or cellular phones are safe to use during a storm.
Avoid concrete floors and walls.
If the weather forecast calls for thunderstorms, postpone your trip or activity.
Remember: When thunder roars, go indoors. Find a safe, enclosed shelter.
The main lightning safety guide is the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.
If no shelter is available, crouch low, with as little of your body touching the ground as possible. Lightning causes electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away.
Stay away from concrete floors or walls. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.
Although you should move into a non-concrete structure if possible, being indoors does not automatically protect you from lightning. In fact, about one-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors.
One more dry day with low humidity can be expected today, then a front will push south into Lower Michigan on Wednesday bringing the chance for showers and thunderstorms which will increase on Thursday as low pressure tracks along the stalled front.
Dew points in the 20s this morning, along with temperatures warming into the 70s will result in very low relative humidity. Winds will be on the increase with deeper mixing this afternoon and some gusts could be over 30 mph.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect today to account for dangerous fire weather conditions. Dew points begin to rise by this evening.
Too funny! Which state is still in the below normal outlook for next week?
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/610day/610temp.new.gif
Rocky lives in Cold Weather TROLL nation! It could be 83 degrees (like today) and Rocky is still posting about cold today! What a joke!
Too funny but just facts!
Lol!!!
Sitting on the back deck enjoying a sprite. Gorgeous evening. 83° today – one shy of the record. Calling for 80° again tomorrow. Too bad this occurred during the work week.
81 already in GR! Outperforming the forecasted high yet again.
80° in Traverse City and Alpena. Already 78° here. Only six more degrees for a record, which was set just 26 years ago.
Today will be the first 80° of 2018 here in Grand Rapids. The last time it was 80 or better was back on October 9th 2017. Over the years the mean first 80° at Grand Rapids is April 30th so it is just about the average time of the first 80° day. It is time to go out and enjoy this great warm day.
Slim
It is warming up fast. We are headed to 80 degrees today. It is going to feel more like summer. lol!!
It is now official April 2018 was the 4th coldest in Grand Rapids history. At Muskegon it was the 2nd coldest April in history. It also was the coldest April since 1975 so to many of you it was the coldest April in your lifetime!
Slim
Rock On SLIM! I love your facts! April was truly a COLD and SNOWY record breaking month! The Facts overrule the BS again! Who would have thought??
75 degrees in GR before 1130am. This is some heat for this time of year.
You would have to go all the way back to 2013 to find a May 1st day this warm at GRR. BTW the record high for today is 86° set way back in 1942.
Slim
It’s funny you mentioned that lighting can travel through plumbing. I have this fear and will never use the potty when it’s storming out! LOL
I won’t either. I know how it travel thru a shower head. . We never use the shower when it is storming. I grew up with that idea.
It is really nice out there this morning. Not even cold.
BREAKING NEWS…..8+ hours in and the month of May is running ABOVE average in temperature!!! Ha!
By Thursday or Friday, we could be looking at one of the warmest starts to May we’ve ever seen! (notice how easy it is to play the calendar bias card)
No just the facts, like the fact April was cold and snowy and one for the record books! INCREDIBLE!
There were no monthly April records for GR – not even close.
Not true April 2018 is now the coldest April in recorded history at Flint. Flints mean this April was 39.1° the old record coldest April was 39.4° in 1950. It was the 2nd coldest April at Saginaw and while it was down the list at 13th in Detroit it was none the less the coldest there since 1950.
Slim
We do not live in Flint.
Funny you asked. BTY where do you live?????
slim
Mookie lives in Warm Weather TROLL nation Slim! It could be zero degrees and mookie would say it is not too cold today! What a joke!
Top four and the coldest in 43 years! WOW!!!
Who knew? LOL
>>>BREAKING NEWS>>> Now that May is here I am ready for temps in the 60’s and 70’s and bring on some golf! ROCK n ROLL will never die!
Fact – April was a cold and snowy month to remember! A record setter! Who knew?
NWS Detroit talking about mid 80’s today! Warm summer day to start May
My NWS point forecast says 87° for today, which would be a record. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Won’t happen!