There's nothing like spending a warm day outside enjoying your favorite sports activity, whether it's on the golf course, a baseball diamond, or a fishing boat to name a few. When the weather is right for outdoor sports, it can also be perfect conditions for a thunderstorm to roll in, with the potential for lightning. About 30 people are killed by lightning each year according to the National Weather Service. Two-thirds of those fatalities are associated with outdoor recreational activities. Valley Rural Electric Cooperative and Safe Electricity wants you to be safe this season with the following tips to protect you and others while participating in outdoor sports.
- The National Weather Service (NWS) recommends that outdoor recreation organizers have an established lightning safety plan and follow it every time inclement weather conditions are present.
- Organized sports activities should have a designated official that will watch for approaching dark clouds and any lightning in the area. Designated officials and anyone participating in outdoor sports should have a lightning safety plan with tips on: when the activity should be stopped, where people should go for safety, and when activities can resume.
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Stop outdoor activity if you see lightning. Lightning can strike up to 10 to 15 miles away from the storm. Follow the simple phrase: When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!
- No place outside is safe during a storm, including dugouts, sheds, or rain shelters. Substantial buildings with wiring and plumbing are ideal. If you don't have access to a sturdy building, a hard-topped metal vehicle with the windows rolled up would provide good protection from the elements.
- Because electrical charges can linger in clouds even if the storm has passed, weather experts recommend you wait 30 minutes after you last heard thunder before resuming any outdoor activity. If it is an organized sports activity, the designated official should make the call on when to return to the field.
Stop outdoor activity if you see lightning. Lightning can strike up to 10 to 15 miles away from the storm. Follow the simple phrase: When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!
The NWS webpage on lightning safety and outdoor sports activities provides more details and tips for creating a safety plan.
https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-sports
Whether it is an organized sports activity, a round of golf with friends, or a game of basketball in the driveway, plan to make your outdoor sports safe this season. Don't let lightning strike you out. For more information on lightning safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.
Article and lightning photo courtesy of SafeElectricity.org with modifications by Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. Golf photo by Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.