Northwest Iowa — Thursday morning’s severe weather gave us another reminder about severe weather safety. This is National Lightning Safety Awareness Week.
Though lightning strikes peak in summer, people are struck year round. In the United States, an average of 49 people are killed each year by lightning, and hundreds more are severely injured. National Weather Service Meteorologist Lance VandenBoogart at the Sioux Falls Office says lightning is one of the most dangerous parts of a thunderstorm.
Experts say if people would just follow that advice — “When thunder roars, go indoors” — the rate of lightning injury and death would plummet.
VandenBoogart also says, don’t immediately go back outside after the thunder or rain stops.
Weather officials say many of the things you were told when you were young still apply, such as don’t bathe during a thunderstorm and stay off of telephones — especially those that are wired to a wall socket of any kind.
Also, unlike people who are touching power lines, lightning victims do not carry a charge and can safely be touched and rescued.
VandenBoogart emphasizes that it’s important that you have a way of receiving weather information at all times.
