As a general rule, when you hear thunder outside, you should go inside where it is significantly safer. But, if you are a hiker you don't have the luxury of an enclosed structure. This requires that hikers have more advanced training on how lightning works, and the safest actions to take when a thunderstorm blows into your hike. This article is not designed to educate you on ever fact of lightning, but designed to educate you on the essentials to avoid being struck. And, if someone in your hiking party is struck, what you should do to save their life.
Quick Statistics about Lightning
Males account for 80% of all fatalities
8% of lightning fatalities happen to hikers and campers
70% of lightning fatalities happen in June, July, and August
July has the highest fatality rate, followed by June and August
You can be electrocuted by being within 60' of a lightning strike
Many lightning victims can be saved by performing CPR
Hiding under a rock overhang is highly risky
Being on a summit or ridge line is highly risky
Laying on the ground increases your risk of dying
Lightning often strikes the same place
Lightning can strike up to 10 miles from the storm
If you can hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning
Lightning often strikes where it isn't raining
If you are touching a person when they are struck, you too will be electrocuted
After a person has been struck, it is safe to touch them
A direct strike from lightning is the most deadly
The heat from lightning can be up to 50,000F
10% of people struck by lightning die
You have a 1 in 12,000 chance of being struck by lightning during your lifetime
Hikers have a much higher chance of being struck by lightning in their lifetime
Thunder travels at 1 mile per 5 seconds. 10 seconds means that the strike is 2 miles away
Lightning is on the average 300 million volts and 30,000 amps
Lightning travels 90,000 miles per SECOND
Lightning bolts are 1-2 inches in diameter
The return stroke of lightning (the light) is 3-30 feet in diameter
There are 25 million lightning strikes each year
If your hair stands on end, you are about to be struck by lightning
If you have a metallic taste in your mouth, you are about to be struck by lightning
Forest Ranger Roy Sullivan was struck by lightning seven times
Lightning will often spiral down a tree
If lightning finds an opening in the tree, it will often cause the tree to explode
The actual lightning bolt is invisible - The return stroke is the visible light that you see
Understanding the Lightning Risk by Location
When you realize that a thunderstorm is approaching, you need to reduce your risk of being struck by lightning. But, even if you are able to get to a low-risk location, you will have a risk. Listed below is areas of risk:
Very High Risk Areas:
Mountain summits
On the Mountain side that the storm is approaching
Being on or inside a metal Fire Tower
Next to a metal fence or barb wire in a field
High Risk Areas:
On the top of a clove (like the Kaaterskill Clove)
False summits
Under the tallest tree in the area or field
Somewhere on a lake or pond
By trees next to a lake or pond
Fields or open areas
Caves
Moderate Risk Areas:
Lower part of Mountains slopes
In a forest where with equal height trees
Lower Risk Areas:
Bottom of a clove (like Kaaterskill Clove)
In a deep gully (like Platte Clove)
Low Risk Areas:
In a structure like a house or Ranger Cabin
In a car or truck
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Lightning Risk by Locations |
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Image origin is from NOAA.gov - copyright holder may be different |
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Understanding Lightning
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Intra-cloud lightning is an electrical discharge between oppositely charged areas within the thunderstorm cloud. This type of lightning is not dangerous to hikers unless they are hiking in the clouds.
Negative Cloud-to-ground lightning generally happens during the rain storm. A negative charge builds up in the cloud while a positive charge builds up on the ground. The two opposite charges build until they are drawn together.
Positive Cloud-to-Ground Lightning generally happens before and after a rain storm. A positive charge builds up in the cloud while a negative charge builds up on the ground. The two opposite charges build until they are drawn together. This type of lightning can occur up to a half-hour before or after a thunderstorm. This type of lightning results in more fatalities then the other two types. |
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Lightning Risk by Locations |
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Image origin is from NOAA.gov - copyright holder may be different |
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Direct Strike - The most common cause of a direct strike is being in the open and the highest spot in the open. Hiking in an open field would be a high risk for a direct lightning strike. Direct strikes are very deadly. In most direct strikes, a portion of the current moves along and just over the skin surface (called flashover) and a portion of the current moves through the body--usually through the cardiovascular and/or nervous systems. The heat produced when lightning moves over the skin can produce burns, but the current moving through the body is of greatest concern. . |
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Direct Lightning Strike |
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Image origin is from NOAA.gov - copyright holder may be different |
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Direct Strike - When lightning strikes a person, a majority of the lightning will pass over the skin and head towards the ground. The passing over the skin is called a, "Flashover". Lightning can be up to 50,000F, so there is often significant burns. Some of the lightning will also pass inside the body causing damage. It will often cause respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest. If someone in your hiking party sustains a direct lightning strike, they will often require CPR.
People who are struck by lightning often have many medical and emotional issues for a substantial period of time. |
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Direct Lightning Strike |
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Side Flash Lightning - A side flash occurs when lightning strikes a taller object next to the hiker and a portion of the current jumps from taller object to the hiker. Side flashes generally occur when the hiker is within a foot or two of the object that is struck. Most often, side flash victims have taken shelter under a tree to avoid rain or hail. There is a saying among hikers: "Better to be wet and alive, then dry and dead.". |
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Flash Lightning Strike |
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Ground Current Lightning - Before lightning can strike, it needs build up a positive or negative charge on the ground. Before or after a storm, you will generally get a negative charge buildup on the ground. During the thunderstorm, you will generally get a positive charge build up on the ground. If you are standing in this charge buildup, the charge buildup will stream up your body. If you are the highest spot, you are likely to experience a direct strike. If you aren't the highest spot, the lightning will strike near you, and you could be electrocuted by Ground Current Lightning. |
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Ground Current Lightning Strike |
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Ground Current Lightning - If you are standing in the buildup charge, you may experience a metallic taste in your mouth, or you may have your hair stand on end. This means, that lightning is going to strike you are very close to you. If you ever experience this, everyone in your hiking party should run in opposite directions. Having a current buildup on your body is sometimes called a, "Corona"
The girl in this image, along with her two brothers experienced a Ground Current Lightning moments after this picture was taken. A corona can last a few seconds to several minutes. Whenever a corona occurs, you are in very serious danger. While she and her brothers survived the Ground Current Lightning strike, two other hikers nearby died. |
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Current Buildup - Corona |
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Ground Current Lightning - If lightning strikes nearby, you can still be electrocuted. If you are within 60 feet of a lightning strike, you can still be electrocuted by ground current dissipating outward from the strike. After the lightning hits the ground, the voltage will dissipate as you move away from the strike location. If you have your feet apart, there will be a voltage different between your feet. This difference is what will electrocute you. The farther your feet are apart, the higher the likely hood that you will be killed. This is also why animals are almost always die with ground current lightning. |
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Ground Current Lightning Strike |
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Conduction Lightning - If you are touching any object nearby that is involved in the lightning, you can be electrocuted. If you are touching a barb-wire fence when lightning strikes at any point along the fence, you can be electrocuted. This includes touching metal handrails, trees, cars, rocks, another person, etc. It is important to not touch objects before, during, or after a thunderstorm.
If you are stuck directly in a thunderstorm, you should stash your backpack and hiking poles away from you until the thunderstorm is completely gone. While lightning is not attracted to the metal, but metal parts will conduct the current that could electrocute you. |
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Direct Lightning Strike |
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Streamer Lightning - As the lightning bolt moves towards the ground, it will often spawn off streamers. New Streamers occur about every 150 feet down the lightning bolt. Streamers can be quite a ways from a lightning bolt. If you happen to be where the streamer comes down, you can be electrocuted by the streamer. |
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Direct Lightning Strike |
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Understanding the Consequences of being at the Wrong Location at the wrong time
Sometimes it is hard to understand why a particular location is dangerous. So in this section we will discuss why each of the locations are dangerous.
When lightning strikes a tree, the lightning bolt will travel down the tree and terminate into the ground. When the lightning hits the ground, it will penetrate up to five feet into the ground, and dissipate out 60 feet from the tree. As the lightning dissipates away from the tree, the voltage will drastically drop from 300 million volts to 0 volts. If you have one foot 25 feet from the tree and another foot 28 feet from the tree. The difference in voltage of 3 feet is quite dramatic. The difference in voltage is what causes you to be electrocuted! If you were standing on one foot, you would not be electrocuted. If you are laying down on the ground, the voltage difference will be even higher, and the odds of death are even higher. If you are standing on the ground, with one hand on the tree, the chances of death are very high. The closer you are to the tree, the higher the death risk.
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What happens when lightning strikes a tree |
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Image origin is from NOAA.gov - copyright holder may be different |
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There is also a risk of electrocution if you are near a metal fence, barb wire, or underground wires. If lightning strikes the wire, or even near the wire, the current will travel the entire length of the wire. Anything touching the wire, or near the wire, will be electrocuted..
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Cows killed when they were near the fence |
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Image origin is from NOAA.gov - copyright holder may be different |
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How to reduce your risk of being electrocuted in a Thunderstorm
As soon as you become aware that a Thunderstorm is approaching, you need to immediately assess the situation and determine your best course of action. Here are a couple of factors to consider when assessing your situation.
Thunder travels at 1 mile per 5 seconds. 10 seconds means that the strike is 2 miles away
Lightning can strike up to 10 miles from the storm
If you are on a summit or high ridge, you need to move to a safer location
If you are on a rim of a clove or valley, you are in a high risk zone
Once you have moved to a lower-risk geographical location, you need to determine which specific locations are high-risk, and which are lower risk. Listed below are some considering a specific location to hunker down:
Caves, Rock overhangs, cliffs, etc
Direction under trees - especially tall trees
Standing in water bodies or next to water bodies
Fences and metal railings
Locations where lightning has struck before
There is a saying, "Better to be wet and alive, then dry and dead". Humans logically think that something that shelters them, is better. But, in lightning storms, shelters are dangerous locations. Here is what you should do while hunkering down while the thunderstorm passes:
Spread everyone apart. Do NOT stay in a group
Leave packs and hiking poles away from your final location
You can leave your glasses on - They will not attract lightning
Do NOT touch trees, metal objects, or other people
If a hiker experiences a Corona, they should run away immediately
Do NOT lay on the ground!
Keep your two feet next to each other and do NOT touch the ground with your hands
If someone is emotional distraught they can buddy up with someone else, but they should NOT touch each other
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How to Administer First Aid after a Hiker has been Electrocuted
In the event a hiker in your group is hit by lightning or is rendered unconscious by Ground Current Lightning, you need to act quickly to save their life. It is important to understand that if you do nothing, the hiker has a 100% change of dying. Most lightning victims can be saved if first aid is administered within a couple of minutes. Also, the Good Samaritan Laws protect from any legal liability from helping the victim. Even if your actions are wrong.
When a hiker is electrocuted by lightning, there are two things that can happen: (1) It causes Respiratory Arrest (they stop breathing); (2) It may cause Cardiac Arrest (heart stops beating). If a person just goes into Respiratory Arrest, they WILL go into Cardiac Arrest if you do not start breathing for them, and they will die. A few minutes of your time, may provide someone with many decades of life. It is the greatest gift you can give someone.
When you discover someone down, the first thing you need to do is determine the state the person is in:
Check to see if they are conscious
Watch their chest to see if they are breathing. If their chest is not moving up and down they may be in Respiratory Arrest.
If you do not know how to check someone's pulse, but your ear down over their heart to determine if it is beating. If the heart is not beating they are in Cardiac Arrest.
Check with your group to see who is the most medically qualified.
If more then one hiker is down, split your people up to help as many people as possible. Time is your enemy, so act quickly, and don't fight
If a hiker is down but conscious, and there are multiple hikers down, MOVE on to the next person.
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Respiratory Arrest - If a hiker is down and their heart is beating, but in Respiratory Arrest, you need to start Respiratory Resuscitate. Here is a quick overview of how to save someone who isn't breathing:
Lay them on their back with their face pointing towards the sky.
Put one under their neck and lift up slightly to open their airway.
Put a hand on their forehead, while using the other hand to open their mouth
Pinch their nose, and put your lips on their lips completely and breath strongly into their mouth.
You should see their chest rise slightly as you breath in.
Keep doing this until they start breathing on their own.
Most people start breathing on their own within 1-2 minutes.
Once they start breating move on to the next person.. |
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Respiratory Resuscitation |
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Cardiac Arrest - If a hiker is down and their heart is NOT beating, you need to start CPR. Here is a quick overview of how to save someone who isn't breathing:
Lay them on their back with their face pointing towards the sky.
Place your palm in the center of the chest for horizontal alignment.
Place your palm between the nipples for vertical alignment.
Interlock your fingers and only have bottom of your palm touching their chest
Push their chest down 1-2" 100 times a minute.
After 30 chest compressions, you need to blow into their mouth twice.
Start Chest compressions agin.
Most people's hearts start beating within 1-2 minutes.
If it takes longer then 1-2 minutes, keep going.
Once they start breating move on to the next person.. |
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CPR |
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