Colorado has suffered four lightning fatalities already this year, and even more injuries. Recently, a motorcyclist was struck and killed on the Boulder turnpike; a strike in Marble injured a group of seven; and a 17-year-old boy was struck dead by lightning that seemed to come out of nowhere while he was playing soccer in Woodland Park.
Lightning is frequent, forceful and unpredictable. Detection systems in the U.S. monitor an average of 25 million flashes a year. A bolt of lightning can reach more than 5 miles in length, attain temperatures of about 50,000 degrees, and carry the force of 100 million electrical bolts. While the contact voltage of a typical industrial electric shock is 20 to 63 kilovolts, lightning dispenses an average of 300. In a thunderstorm, lightning almost always emerges before the rainfall, and it can even strike when skies are clear and blue.
Colorado has the nation’s third-highest lightning casualty rate, trailing only Texas and Florida. During an average year, lightning within our borders will kill three and injure 18. So instead of believing it won’t happen to you, stay aware and follow some simple precautions.
Keep alert to weather reports and be on the lookout for shelter from a storm. The safest shelters are fully enclosed – a house, for example, or a shopping center or office building.
Once inside, stay away from windows and doors that can provide a direct path for lightning to enter the building. Lightning storms are no time to take a shower, wash the dishes or do the laundry. Avoid using anything attached to electrical wires – phones are the leading cause of lightning injuries in the U.S. Lightning can damage electronic equipment, so it’s best to unplug everything well before the storm hits.
There is not much you can do if you don’t have access to a safe shelter, but the best alternative is usually a car (but not a convertible).
It’s vital to stay away from tall, isolated objects. If you’re camping, don’t set up in an open field or on a hilltop. If you’re in a group, keep 15 feet apart so lightning won’t travel between you if one of you is hit. Sitting or crouching doesn’t offer much protection, but it is better than standing, as a last-resort scenario.
Unpredictable strikes can be the most dangerous, but taking simple precautions when you have warning will decrease your chances of lightning death or injury. It sure is better than relying on luck.
