Thunderstorms and Lightning
Thunderstorms – ALL
Thunderstorms are dangerous! The typical thunderstorm
is 15 miles in diameter
and lasts an average of 30 minutes. Of the estimated
100,000 thunderstorms that occur each year in the
United States, about 10 percent are classified as
severe. A thunderstorm, which produces tornadoes,
hail 0.75 inches or more in diameter, or winds of
58 mph or more is considered to be severe.
Structural wind damage to property as a result of
the storm may also imply the occurrence of a severe
thunderstorm.
To determine how far away a thunderstorm may be:
- Count the number of seconds between a flash
of lightning and the next clap of thunder.
- Divide
this number by 5 to determine the distance to
the lightning in miles.
- Remember – if you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck
by lightning.
Severe
Thunderstorm Watch - An statement
issued by the National weather Service (NWS)
that indicates thunderstorms are possible
in your area, i.e., that conditions are more favorable
than usual for its occurrence. It is recommended
that you plan, prepare, and increase your thunderstorm
awareness (i.e., be alert for changing weather
and approaching storms). Know what other cities
or counties are in the watch area by listening
to NOAA Weather Radio or your local radio/television
stations. Watch the sky, think about what to do
if a thunderstorm materializes.
Severe
Thunderstorm Warning - A statement
issued by the NWS local offices indicating that
a thunderstorm
is either imminent, has been reported by spotters
or indicated by weather radar. A warning indicates
imminent danger to life and property to those in
the path of the storm, and that there is a need
to take action to protect life and property.
Lightning – Florida
is considered to be the lighting capital of the
United States. The
average lightning bolt is only one inch in diameter
but can carry as much as 100 million volts and
pack heat to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, (or three
times hotter than the surface of the sun). Lightning
can strike more than once in the same place and
can strike up to 25 miles from a parent storm.
It can literally strike “out of the blue.”
- If outside, follow the 30/30 rule: if the
time between seeing the flash of lightning
and hearing the thunder is less than 30 seconds,
take
shelter; you are in a strike zone.
- Immediately get away from pools, lakes and
other bodies of water.
- Get off the beach.
- Never use a tree as a shelter.
- Avoid standing near tall objects.
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