13 Things You Should Never Do in a Thunderstorm

RD.COMKnowledgeFacts

Jayna Taylor-SmithUpdated: Aug. 05, 2021

The obvious thing to do during a thunderstorm is to get inside. Once you're inside, remember these tips to stay safe from lightning.

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Take a shower

In the case that lightning strikes your house during a thunderstorm, taking a shower can put you in danger. If your house gets hit by lightning, the bolt can travel through water pipes and electrify you in the shower or even if you wash your hands. Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage from the show Mythbusters performed an experiment testing the consequences of showering during a thunderstorm; it ended in a fire.

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Stand under a wooden object

John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told Business Insider that standing under a tree is considered an “extremely risky” place to be during a thunderstorm. Depending on where you are, trees are likely the tallest object around and will be hit by lightning before you. However, the lightning can jump from the tree to you because humans conduct electricity better than trees. With that said, you should probably avoid standing under or near any other tall wooden objects. Make sure you also know some of the bizarre things that happen before it’s about to storm.