Lightning safety: 10 myths—and the facts

At any given time on our planet Earth, there are 1,800 thunderstorms in progress—and with them comes lightning. Property damage from lightning is covered by standard homeowners insurance for your home, and the comprehensive portion of an auto policy for your car—but bodily harm from lightning isn't easily remedied.

During a thunderstorm, it's best to take shelter in a house, other structure, or a hard-topped, fully enclosed vehicle. But as one of these options may not be available to you, your safety and well-being may depend on knowing the difference between these lightning myths and the facts.

Fact: Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it’s a tall, pointy, isolated object. The Empire State Building was once used as a lightning laboratory because it is struck nearly 25 times per year and has been hit up to a dozen times during a single storm.

Fact: Lightning is indiscriminate, and it can find you anywhere. Lightning may hit the ground instead of a tree, cars instead of nearby telephone poles, and parking lots instead of buildings.

The Heat of a Flash: A single bolt of lightning can heat the air around it to 50,000°F—which is roughly five times hotter than the surface of the sun. This sudden, extreme heating causes the air to expand rapidly and explode, creating the sound of thunder.

Fact: Sheltering under a tree is just about the worst thing you can do. If lightning does hit the tree, there’s the chance that a “ground charge” will spread out from the tree in all directions. Being under a tree is the second-leading cause of lightning casualties.

Fact: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even the thunderstorm cloud. Though infrequent, “bolts from the blue” have been known to strike areas as distant as 10 miles from their thunderstorm origins, where the skies appear clear.

The 30/30 Rule: A crucial safety metric for readers is the "30/30 Rule." If you see lightning and cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder, the storm is close enough to be dangerous. After the storm passes, you should wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before heading back outside.

Fact: True, being in a car will likely protect you. But most vehicles are actually safe because the metal roof and sides divert lightning around you—the rubber tires have little to do with keeping you safe. Convertibles, motorcycles, bikes, open-shelled outdoor recreation vehicles, and cars with plastic or fiberglass shells offer no lightning protection at all. Note: Heavy-duty soft-top soft-shell Jeeps do not offer protection, as they lack the continuous metal roof required to divert the current around the cabin.

Ground Current is the Biggest Killer: While direct hits get all the attention in movies, ground current (electricity spreading along the earth's surface after a nearby strike) is actually the leading cause of lightning injuries and fatalities.

Fact: Lying flat on the ground makes you more vulnerable to electrocution, not less. Lightning generates potentially deadly electrical currents along the ground in all directions—by lying down, you're providing more potential points on your body to hit.

Fact: The human body doesn’t store electricity. It is perfectly safe to touch a lightning victim to give them first aid.

Fact: The presence of metal makes very little difference in determining where lightning will strike. Height, pointy shape, and isolation are the dominant factors in whether lightning will strike an object (including you). However, touching or being near metal objects, such as a fence, can be unsafe when thunderstorms are nearby. If lightning does happen to hit one area of the fence—even a long distance away—the metal can conduct the electricity and electrocute you.

Fact: While a house is the safest place you can be during a storm, just going inside isn’t enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors, or metal window frames. Don’t stand near a window to watch the lightning. An inside room is generally safe, but a home equipped with a professionally installed lightning protection system is the safest shelter available.

Fact: Surge arresters and suppressors are important components of a complete lightning protection system, but can do nothing to protect a structure against a direct lightning strike. These items must be installed in conjunction with a lightning protection system to provide whole house protection.

Fact: Water lines and plumbing are excellent conductors of electricity. If lightning strikes your home or nearby ground, the charge can travel through your metal or plastic pipes and shock you through the running water. It is highly recommended to avoid showers, baths, and washing dishes until the storm has passed.

When it comes to severe weather, ignorance isn't bliss—it’s a major liability. Lightning moves at the speed of light, leaving zero time for guesswork or relying on old wives' tales. By trading these common myths for solid facts, you aren't just protecting your home and your car; you're protecting your life. The next time the skies darken and the rumbling starts, don't wait to see who's right. Remember the golden rule of storm safety: When thunder roars, go indoors.

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This article was reviewed and updated in May 2026 by Chris McGehee, Content Marketing Manager.