Thunderstorms, Lightning & HailPreparedness Guide

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Be Informed & PreparedLearn what protective measures to take before during & after an emergency:

• Visit http://www.ready.gov/thunderstorms-lightning

All thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning. While lightning fatalities have decreased over the past 30 years, lightning continues to be one of the top three storm-related killers in the United States. In 2010 there were 29 fatalities and 182 injuries from lightning. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms.

Other associated dangers of thunderstorms include tornadoes, strong winds, hail and flash flooding. Flash flooding is responsible for more fatalities – more than 140 annually – than any other thunderstorm-associated hazard. Dry thunderstorms that do not produce rain that reaches the ground are most prevalent in the western United States. Falling raindrops evaporate, but lightning can still reach the ground and can start wildfires.

Lightning Safety When Outdoors

Facts about thunderstorms:

• They may occur singly, in clusters or in lines.

• Some of the most severe occur when a single thunderstorm affects one location for an extended time.

• Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

• Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development.

• About 10 percent of thunderstorms are classified as severe –one that produces hail at least an inch or larger in diameter, has winds of 58 miles per hour or higher or produces a tornado.

Facts about thunderstorms:

• 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.

Know the terms:

Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a thunderstorm hazard.

• Severe Thunderstorm Watch - Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

• Severe Thunderstorm Warning - Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.

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If you Are Then

In a forest Seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees.

In an open area Go to a low place such as a ravine or valley. Be alert for flash floods.

On open water Get to land and find shelter immediately.

Anywhere you feel your hair stand on end (which indicates that lightning is about to strike)

Squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Place your hands over your ears and your head between your knees. Make yourself the smallest target possible and minimize your contact with the ground. DO NOT lie flat on the ground.

Be Informed & PreparedTo prepare for a thunderstorm, you should do the following:

• To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.

• Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm.

• Postpone outdoor activities.

• Remember the 30/30 Lightning Safety Rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder. Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder.

• Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage.

• Get inside a home, building, or hard top automobile (not a convertible). Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.

• Remember, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal.

• Shutter windows and secure outside doors. If shutters are not available, close window blinds, shades or curtains.

• Unplug any electronic equipment well before the storm arrives.

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During Thunderstorms & LightningIf thunderstorm and lightning are occurring in your area, you should:

• Use your battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio for updates from local officials.

• Avoid contact with corded phones and devices including those plugged into electric for recharging. Cordless and wireless phones not connected to wall outlets are OK to use.

• Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. Unplug appliances and other electrical items such as computers and turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage.

• Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.

• Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.

• Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls.

• Avoid natural lightning rods such as a tall, isolated tree in an open area.

• Avoid hilltops, open fields, the beach or a boat on the water.

• Take shelter in a sturdy building. Avoid isolated sheds or other small structures in open areas.

• Avoid contact with anything metal—tractors, farm equipment, motorcycles, golf carts, golf clubs, and bicycles.

• If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.

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After Thunderstorms & LightningIf lightning strikes you or someone you know, call 9-1-1 for medical assistance as soon as possible. The following are things you should check when you attempt to give aid to a victim of lightning:

• Breathing - if breathing has stopped, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

• Heartbeat - if the heart has stopped, administer CPR.

• Pulse - if the victim has a pulse and is breathing, look for other possible injuries. Check for burns where the lightning entered and left the body. Also be alert for nervous system damage, broken bones and loss of hearing and eyesight.

After the storm passes remember to:

• Never drive through a flooded roadway. Turn around, don’t drown!

• Stay away from storm-damaged areas to keep from putting yourself at risk from the effects of severe thunderstorms.

• Continue to listen to a NOAA Weather Radio or to local radio and television stations for updated information or instructions, as access to roads or some parts of the community may be blocked.

• Help people who may require special assistance, such as infants, children and the elderly or those with access or functional needs.

• Stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately.

• Watch your animals closely. Keep them under your direct control.

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HailIn addition to heavy rains and the threat of lightning, hail can pose a big danger during a thunderstorm. Hail can be as small as the size of a pea, or as large as a softball. Because it falls from the sky, it can reach extremely high speeds as it barrels toward earth and damage anything in its path, including but not limited to cars, windows and especially plants and agricultural crops.

If you see or hear hail hitting the ground during a thunderstorm, take it as an unmistakable sign that you need to remain inside if you’re already indoors, or find shelter quickly if you’re outdoors.

• Though hail rarely causes fatalities, more than 20 people are injured by falling hail each year in the United States.

• Hail size is measured by National Weather Service Doppler radar, which estimates the size of hail according to its diameter. Sizes range from pea-size (1/4 inch), to quarter size (1 inch) and golf-ball size (1 3/4 inches), all the way up to softball-size (4 1/2 inches). Hail larger than quarter-size (1 inch in diameter) is considered severe.

• The larger the thunderstorm, the greater the chance for larger hail to be produced ”“ so stay alert if you notice especially large thunderstorm clouds developing in your area.

• The majority of hail damage each year occurs to agricultural crops, as the area of the U.S. most at risk for large hail lies in the western Great Plains states. This 625-square-mile-wide area sees an average of 7 to 9 days with hail each year.

Here’s what do to if you are driving in a hailstorm:

• Stay inside the vehicle. Hail falls at fast speeds, and it can cause injury to those in its path.

• Stop driving and pull to a safe place so hail doesn’t break the windshield or any windows — driving compounds hail’s impact with your car. Stop under an overpass, and don’t forget to pull out of traffic lanes and onto a shoulder. Avoid ditches due to possible high-rising water.

• Keep your car angled so the hail is hitting the front of your car. Windshields are reinforced to withstand forward driving and pelting objects. Side windows and backglass are not, so they’re much more susceptible to breakage.

• Lie down, if possible, and keep your back to the windows. If you have a blanket, cover yourself with it to prevent possible debris from hitting you.

Hailstorm tips:https://www.progressive.com/vehicle-resources/hail-driving/

Repair hail damage:

If your car becomes an unlucky victim of hail damage, you’ll most likely need repair work done to remove the dimples left by the hail. Repair options include the conventional method done at a body shop or Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) — a process involving specially molded metal tools that massage the underside of a damaged panel until the dent is removed — which doesn’t disturb your vehicle’s factory finish and generally can be completed within a day.

The average automobile can be swept off the road in 12 inches of moving water, and roads covered by water are prone to collapse. Attempting to drive through water also may stall your engine, with the potential to cause irreparable damage if you try to restart the engine. If you come upon a flooded street, take an alternate route.

• Call your insurance company as soon as you can to report your claim.

• Discuss the damage with your claims representative to determine the best repair method and set up an inspection time.

• Repair the hail damage to your car.

• Ensure your vehicle is repaired to your satisfaction.Discuss any issues with the provider and check for any remaining dents before you accept your vehicle and take it home.

• Get a written guarantee and contact information from the shop before you leave.

Follow these simple steps to repair hail damage to your car — possibly within a day — and get back on the road.

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PublicationsFEMA and National Weather Service:

• Facts about Lightning. 200252. A two-page facts sheet for boaters. Available online:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/lightning/resources/LightningFactsSheet.pdf

• How to Guides to Protect Your Property or Business from High Winds. Available online::

http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=3263

Related websites:

Find additional information on how to plan and prepare for a thunderstorm and learn about available resources by visiting the following websites:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency

• NOAA Watch

• American Red Cross

Listen to local officials:

• Learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by your state and local government. In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by local emergency management officials.

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