Many of us enjoy spending time outside during the warmer months. However, sunshine can quickly fade behind developing cumulonimbus clouds. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

If you’re caught outside during a thunderstorm, you want to get to shelter as quickly as possible. But if there’s no building or vehicle nearby, you may be inclined to get under a picnic table…but no. It is actually made of metal so you want to stay away from metal.

You may also want to run over to a nearby tree to seek shelter, but a tree is always a bad idea. Lightning looks for the quickest way down to the ground, so you never want to get under a tree.

You want to get away from tall objects and trees and get to a low-lying area. You want to crouch down on the balls of your feet and make yourself the smallest target possible and cover your head with your hands.

If you are inside a building, stay away from faucets, and don’t take a bath or shower. Lightning can get conducted through the pipes and wiring inside the building, so you should also turn off and unplug major electrical devices such as computers.

Although homes don’t get struck very often, it happened Tuesday in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

Most of the time, you’ll be safe from lightning if you are indoors, however sometimes people return to their activities outside too quickly. Just remember to stay inside for 30 minutes after hearing the last rumble of thunder.

An average of 62 people are killed and a reported 300 people injured from lightning each year in the United States. The National Weather Service has simple advice: “When thunder roars, go indoors.”

If you’d like to see my broadcast that aired on WAVY-TV 10 last week, click on this link: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/weather/hurricane/local_wavy_lightning_safety_20090610

Stay safe.

Meteorologist Cheryl Nelson