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Lightning in the
Mountains |
Lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from the thunderstorm. If
you can see or hear it, you are close enough to be a target.
Follow the
summer-in-the-mountain rule: "Up high by noon, down low by two" to avoid the
afternoon thunderstorms the generally occur between 2 and 6 P.M.
Above Timberline:
- Stay in your automobile.
- Avoid the restrooms at the Parking area because the roofs are
metal and attracts lightning.
- Avoid high places. Get down off the top of the mountain and
avoid ridges.
- Do not touch dissimilar objects like rock and ground or tree
and ground.
- If you are hiking, remove all metal objects including
backpacks, crampons, cameras and tripods. Crouch down with only your feet
touching the ground. (See Lightning-Safety Position below.)
- Stay away from lakes, streams and marshy wet soil, as water is
a good conductor of electricity.
- Remove all metal objects from your body, especially metal-rimed
glasses.
Below Timberline:
- Stay away from single trees. You are better off in a forest
near shorter trees than taller trees.
- Try to find a dry area, as water is a good conductor of
electricity.
- If you are hiking, remove all metal objects including
backpacks, crampons, cameras and tripods. Crouch down with only your feet
touching the ground.
Things to know about lightning:
- If your skin and hair feel prickly or you see your friend's
hair start to stand up, you are a prime target and the clouds and the ground
are negotiating a path for the lightning bolt.
- Lightning can strike before or after it has stopped
raining.
- How far away was that lightning? Count in seconds, you know
how, one thousand one, one thousand two, etc. Each five seconds is one
mile.
- Danger from lightning may persist for more than 30 minutes
after a storm has passed or after the last known lightning strike. This is
often called "blue sky" lightning and is just as deadly.
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| Image (c)1999 Anubis Productions and Marian
Hyuk Grossi |
Lightning-Safety Position
Make
yourself as small a target as possible. With your heels together, if lightning
hits the ground, it goes through the closest foot, up to your heel and then
transfers to the other foot and goes back to the ground again. If you don't put
your feet together, lightning could go through your heart and kill you. Put
your hands over your ears to protect them from thunder.
Avoid proximity
to other people in your group. Put at least 15 feet between individuals. Should
one be chosen, then the others can act as rescuers!
Lightning Safety for Kids
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