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Lightning Safety Awareness Week Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. has declared June 18-24 as Lightning Safety
Awareness Week in Utah, in conjunction with National Lightning Safety
Awareness Week. The NOAA Lightning Safety Team, comprised of gov-
ernment and private sector businesses, will lead the lightning safety cam-
paign, with participation from various state and local agencies and busi-
nesses.

During the past 30 years, lightning has killed an average of 67 people per
year in the United States. This is more than the average of 65 deaths per
year caused by tornadoes. In Utah, lightning has claimed the lives of 60
people since 1950, more than any other thunderstorm related hazard. In
August of 2005, a lightning strike claimed the life of an Eagle Scout and
injured 3 other scouts in the Uinta Mountains.

Because lightning usually claims only one or two victims at a time, and
because lightning does not cause the mass destruction left in the wake of
tornadoes or hurricanes, lightning generally receives much less attention
than the more destructive weather-related killers.

During lightning safety awareness week, we hope you will learn more
about lightning risks and how to protect yourself and your loved ones!

Daily news releases and statements will be issued and broadcast on
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards during Lightning Safety Awareness
Week. Warning Coordination Meteorologists and Public Information Of-
ficers serving your community will be available for interviews and ques-
tions.
Check out the National Lightning Safety Awareness Week
web site at
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/week.htm

A full color version of this publication is available on-line at
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/wxsafety

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PRING
, 2004
Lightning Safety Awareness Week


Lightning Science
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Outdoor Lightning Safety
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Indoor Lightning Safety
4
NOAA Weather Radio
4
Lightning and Wildfires
5
Internet Sites
6
INS IDE THIS ISS UE:
Contacts
NWS Salt Lake City
Kevin Barjenbruch, WCM
801-524-5113
kevin.barjenbruch@noaa.gov


NWS Grand Junction
Jim Pringle, WCM
970-243-7007 x726
james.pringle@noaa.gov


Department of Public Safety
Derek Jensen, PIO
801-538-3738
derekjensen@utah.gov


American Red Cross
Mariann Geyer, CEO
801-323-7007
mgeyer@utahredcross.org

Lightning Safety Awareness Week is
June 18-24, 2006

Summer 2006
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How Powerful is Lightning?
Each bolt of lightning can reach over five miles in length, soar to temperatures of approximately
50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and contain 100 million electrical volts.

Lightning is a Random, Chaotic, and Dangerous Fact of Nature
At any given moment, there are 1,800 thunderstorms in progress somewhere on the earth. This
amounts to 16 million storms each year! Lightning detection systems in the United States monitor
an average of 25 million strokes of cloud to ground lightning every year!

Ice in the Cloud is Critical to the Lightning Process
In a thunderstorm, ice particles exist which vary in size from small ice crystals to larger hailstones.
In the rising and sinking motions within the storm, collisions between the particles occur. This
causes a separation of electrical charges. Positively charged ice crystals rise to the top of the thun-
derstorm, and negatively charged ice particles and hailstones drop to the middle and lower parts of
the storm.

How Lightning Develops Between the Cloud and the Ground
A moving thunderstorm gathers another pool of positively charged particles along the ground that
travel with the storm. As the differences in charges continue to increase, positively charged parti-
cles rise up taller objects such as trees, houses, and telephone poles. The negatively charged area in
the storm will send out a charge toward the ground called a stepped leader. It is invisible to the hu-
man eye, and moves in steps in less than a second toward the ground. When it gets close to the
ground, it is attracted by the positively charged objects, and a channel develops. You see the elec-
trical transfer in this channel as lightning. There may be several return strokes of electricity within
the established channel that you will see as flickering lightning.

Thunder

The lightning channel heats rapidly to 50,000 degrees. The rapid expansion, then contraction of air
in the lightning channel causes the thunder. Since light travels faster than sound in the atmosphere,
the sound will be heard after the lightning. If you see lightning and hear thunder at the same time,
that lightning is in your neighborhood!

Negative Lightning and Positive Lightning
Not all lightning forms in the negatively charged area low in the thunderstorm cloud. Some light-
ning originates in the cirrus anvil at the top of the thunderstorm. This area carries a large positive
charge. Lightning from this area is called positive lightning. This type is particularly dangerous for
several reasons. It frequently strikes away from the rain core, either ahead or behind the thunder-
storm. It can strike as far as 10 miles from the storm, in areas that most people do not consider to be
a lightning risk area. Also, positive lightning usually carries a high peak electrical current, which
increases the lightning risk to an individual.
The Science of Lightning L
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Each year, about 400 children and adults in the U.S. are struck by lightning while working outside, at
sports events, on the beach, mountain climbing, mowing the lawn, or during other outdoor activities.
In addition to the average of 67 lives lost per year, several hundred more are left to cope with perma-
nent disabilities. Many of these tragedies can be avoided. Finishing the game, getting a tan, or com-
pleting a work shift aren't worth death or a debilitating injury.
Lightning Safety...Outdoors
Lightning Facts
Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.
You are in danger from lightning if you can hear thunder.
Lightning injuries can lead to permanent disabilities or death. On average, 10% of strike
victims die; 70% of survivors suffer serious long term effects.
Lightning Safety Rules
Postpone activities promptly. Don't wait for rain. Many people take shelter from the
rain, but most people struck by lightning are not in the rain! Go quickly inside a completely en-
closed building. If no enclosed building is convenient, get inside a hard-topped all-metal vehi-
cle.
Be the lowest point. Lightning usually strikes the tallest object. In the mountains if you
are above the timberline, you ARE the highest object around. Quickly get below the timberline
and get into a grove of small trees. Crouch down if you are in an exposed area.
Keep an eye on the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of lightning, or increasing wind,
which may be signs of an approaching thunderstorm.
Listen for the sound of thunder. If you can hear thunder, go to a safe shelter immediately.
If you see lightning, hear a thunderstorm coming, or your hair stands on end, immedi-
ately suspend your game or practice and instruct everyone to go inside a sturdy building or
car. If no sturdy building is nearby, a hard-top vehicle with windows closed will offer some
protection. The steel frame of the vehicle provides some protection if you are not touching
metal.
Listen to NOAA Weather Radio. Coaches and other leaders should listen for tone-alert
warnings, as well as forecasts for thunderstorms, during practice sessions and games.
If you can't get to a shelter, stay away from trees. If there is no shelter, crouch down in
the open, keeping twice as far away from a tree as it is tall.
Avoid leaning against vehicles. Get off bicycles and motorcycles.
Get out of the water. It's a great conductor of electricity. Stay off the beach and out of
small boats or canoes. If caught in a boat, crouch down in the center of the boat away from
metal hardware. Swimming, wading, snorkeling, and scuba diving are NOT safe. Lightning can
strike the water and travel some distance beneath and away from its point of contact.
Avoid metal! Drop metal backpacks, stay away from clothes lines, fences, exposed sheds,
and electrically conductive elevated objects. Don't hold on to metal items such as golf clubs,
fishing rods, tennis rackets, or tools. Large metal objects can conduct lightning.
Move away from a group of people. Stay several yards away from other people. Don't
share a bleacher bench or huddle in a group. L
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What is a Safe Shelter?
A house or other substantial building offers the best protection from lightning.
For a shelter to provide protection from lightning, it must contain a mechanism
for conducting the electrical c