On average lightning is responsible for 66 fatalities annually. In addition, hundreds of people are injured each year, many with serious and lasting impacts on their quality of life such as permanent nerve damage and hearing loss.

In the United States, lightning deaths and injuries occur most frequently in open areas. Lightning safety is crucial when you are outdoors, especially since so many activities take place in open areas like athletic fields and golf courses. If outdoors, plan to immediately seek safe shelter in a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle if you hear thunder or the skies look threatening. There is no safe place outdoors!


People are particularly vulnerable to lightning strikes when a storm is approaching or exiting their area. Lightning can strike over 10 miles away from a thunderstorm.

Thunderstorm and Lightning Safety Tips

• Keep an eye on the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of lightning, or increasing wind, which may be signs of an approaching thunderstorm. Get to a safe shelter immediately if a thunderstorm approaches. Coaches and other leaders should listen to NOAA Weather Radio during practice sessions and games for the latest forecasts and warnings.
• Postpone or halt outdoor activities before the rain begins. Many people take shelter from the rain, but most people struck by lightning are not in the rain. Go quickly inside a completely enclosed building, not a carport, open garage, dugout or covered patio. If no enclosed building is nearby, get inside a hard-topped all-metal vehicle and remain there until the storm has passed.
• Places to avoid include: under or close to trees, sheds, picnic shelters, baseball/softball dugouts, bleachers and open fields. Keep twice as far away from a tree as it is tall. Also stay away from clothes lines, fences, exposed sheds, and electrically conductive elevated objects.

Safety Indoors

• Avoid contact with corded phones, electrical equipment or cords, and plumbing.
• Do not take a shower, wash dishes, or do laundry.
• Stay away from windows and doors and stay off porches.

Reduce Risk Outdoors

• If possible, get inside an enclosed building or a hard-topped vehicle.
• If your area is prone to afternoon thunderstorms, plan outdoor activities in the morning.
• Stay clear of tall, isolated objects like trees. If you are in a field, you may be the tallest object.
• Avoid metal objects, carports, tents, and picnic shelters.
• Avoid metal objects, carports, tents, and picnic shelters.

Additional information about lightning safety is available on the National Weather Service lightning safety website. This site contains a wealth of information about lightning safety and provides insight to the science and medical aspects of lightning.

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov