Earth Gauge Tip of the Week – Lightning Safety Awareness Week – When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

Reader Contribution by Earth Gauge
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Summer is the season to be outside. Warm weather compels us to run, swim, hike and ride, and the long hours of sunlight provide ample time to enjoy this most active of seasons. Summer is also prime time for thunderstorms, which produce lightning, among other potentially dangerous hazards.  June 23-29, 2013 is Lightning Safety Awareness Week! Lightning occurs in ALL thunderstorms and it is estimated that over 100,000 thunderstorms occur each year in the United States. (View state-by-state data on average annual number of thunderstorm days.)

Viewer Tip: In 2012, lightning accounted for 28 deaths in the U.S., down from the 30-year average of 55. That number can be reduced even more by knowing how to avoid lightning and what to do if you are stuck outside during a thunderstorm. These helpful hints will help you stay safe:

• Pay attention to the forecast. When thunderstorm development is expected, meteorologists often issue a statement early in the day about when the chance for thunderstorms is highest. If your area has a high potential for thunderstorms, make plans to be inside during that time. Lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. If a severe thunderstorm watch or warning has been issued for your area, take cover immediately and wait for at least 30 minutes after the storm has passed to head back outside.

• If you must be outdoors, avoid activities that increase the risk of being struck by lightning, such as mountaintop hiking, swimming at beaches and outdoor pools, golfing and playing other sports in open fields.

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