Lightning
A page within University Police Department
Lightning
Lightning can occur with little warning and may strike from more than 15 miles away from a storm. To stay safe, follow these guidelines.
If lightning threatens while you are indoors:
- Remain inside and stay away from open doors, windows, radiators, metal pipes, sinks, and plug-in electrical devices such as computers, appliances, and lamps.
- Do not use plug-in electrical equipment or corded telephones.
- Remember that lightning can still pose a threat indoors if you are in contact with conductive materials.
- La Crosse Weather
If lightning threatens while you are outdoors:
- Seek shelter in a fully enclosed building. If none is available, find a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine. Avoid sheltering in or near water.
- Stay away from the tallest objects in the area and avoid becoming the tallest object yourself. If only isolated trees are nearby, move away from them and head toward a safer location, avoiding open fields and bodies of water.
- Do not lie flat on the ground, as this increases the risk of being shocked by ground current from nearby strikes. There is no safe position that guarantees protection, but moving toward shelter is your best option.
- If you feel your hair stand on end or your skin tingle, lightning may be about to strike nearby. In that case, immediately crouch down with your feet together, heels touching, weight on the balls of your feet, and your hands covering your ears. This position minimizes contact with the ground and allows a current to pass up one foot and down the other, reducing injury. Use this only as a last resort if a strike is imminent—it is not a substitute for proper shelter.
Additional information:
- People struck by lightning may suffer burns or severe electric shock, but they do not carry an electrical charge and can be safely handled. Prompt CPR can save their life.
- Most lightning injuries happen because people delay seeking shelter. No outdoor activity is worth risking serious injury or death—go inside at the first sound of thunder.
- Most vehicles with metal roofs and sides offer protection from lightning. The safety comes from the metal shell, not the rubber tires. Convertibles, motorcycles, bicycles, open-frame recreational vehicles (like Jeeps), and fiberglass-shelled cars do not offer protection.
- Carrying or wearing metal does not increase your chance of being struck. Height, pointed shape, and isolation are the most significant factors in lightning strikes.