How To Survive A Thunderstorm: What To Do (Part 4 of 4)

The bad news is (and I’ve mentioned this many times before), that there is no safe place outdoors during a thunderstorm. You cannot do anything to guarantee your safety, only things to marginally improve your situation.

 Thunderstorms and your health

The summer thunderstorm is great theater. Lightning seems like it might have been hurled by the hand of an angry god. If it's close, we're treated to the sharp crack of thunder that makes us jump and the dog hide. And if it's far away, there's that heavy kettledrum rumble. Of course all this presumes we're viewing the proceedings from somewhere inside. Being outside, with the thunder and lightning, can be perilous — and very, very wet. But even if you stay indoors, thunderstorms are associated with some adverse health effects. Researchers have documented thunderstorm-related outbreaks of asthma, and there are hints that storms could cause lung and sleep apnea problems. Lightning is the most obvious threat of a summer thunderstorm, but here are some associated hazards that may not be as familiar.

How To Survive A Thunderstorm: Prediction (Part 2 of 4)

I know this doesn’t help if you’re in the backcountry when you’re caught in a storm, but since there is no safe place outdoors during a thunderstorm (and since there’s no such thing as a “surprise thunderstorm” – you’ll see it coming), staying out of them in the first place is your best defense.

How To Survive A Thunderstorm: The Basics (Part 1 of 4)

I am legitimately afraid of lightning in the backcountry and have found information on what to do when caught in a thunderstorm difficult to come by (probably lightning kills everyone who dares to ask too many questions). Most of what I find focuses on avoiding being caught in a storm in the first place, or getting out of the storm once it begins.

Severe Weather 101: Thunderstorm Basics

Usually created by surface heating, convection is upward atmospheric motion that transports whatever is in the air along with it—especially any moisture available in the air. A thunderstorm is the result of convection. A thunderstorm is classified as “severe” when it contains one or more of the following: hail one inch or greater, winds gusting in excess of 50 knots (57.5 mph), or a tornado.

Thunderstorms 101

At any moment, about 2,000 thunderstorms are occurring worldwide. Learn how thunderstorms form, what causes lightning and thunder, and how these violent phenomena help balance the planet's energy and electricity.

Thunderstorms, Wind and Climate Change: Here’s What to Know

Violent clusters of thunderstorms cause extensive damage across the United States each year, not just through rain and flooding, but also through hail, tornadoes and walls of blasting wind. Here’s what to know about such storms, and how they might be changing in our warming climate.

'When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors' To Best Avoid Lightning's Pain

And when you go inside for cover, he says, know that if lightning strikes your house it can travel along electric lines or plumbing. So don't hold on to plugged-in appliances or their cords, or take a shower until the storm is over.

Doctor, doctor: Why do thunderstorms affect my health?

Before a storm, my head, eyes and hands all feel different. Why? Good question. Actually, I've wondered about the same thing for years, since some of my patients with arthritis have often reported feeling more pain in their joints when the atmospheric pressure drops suddenly, and people with multiple sclerosis have told me of similar weather-connected symptoms. Sadly, these are just anecdotal reports, and I don't know of any repeated studies in which these apparent connections have been confirmed and explained.

How our body reacts to thunder and lightning — and why

If you are someone who is prone to getting headaches, the weather conditions during a thunderstorm may bring one on. Between the humidity, grey skies and high temperatures, thunderstorms can often trigger this pain as a result of a drop in barometric pressure.

How Thunderstorms Affect Health

Thunderstorms are dramatic events, so it’s not surprising that they often bring out powerful emotions, ranging from excitement to fear. And for people with chronic illnesses, strong emotions can sometimes contribute to physical symptoms. They might worsen an asthma attack, for example, or make it harder to manage an arthritis flare.

How thunderstorms can trigger hay fever attacks

Rainfall washes pollen out of the air but intense thunderstorms can lead to increased levels of allergens

Our pollution might actually be causing thunderstorms

Lightning tends to trigger in us a sense of awe, of reverential respect mixed with wonder and fear. When bolts of electricity streak across the sky and thunder claps so loud you can feel it in your body, well, it becomes pretty clear why our ancestors so frequently attributed storms to the gods: Xolotl in the case of the Aztecs, Zeus in the case of the Ancient Greeks, and Thor in Norse Mythology.

Supercharged thunderstorms: have we underestimated how climate change drives extreme rain and floods?

In media articles about unprecedented flooding, you’ll often come across the statement that for every 1°C of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture. This figure comes from research undertaken by the French engineer Sadi Carnot and published 200 years ago this year. We now know there’s more to the story. Yes, a hotter atmosphere has the capacity to hold more moisture. But the condensation of water vapour to make rain droplets releases heat. This, in turn, can fuel stronger convection in thunderstorms, which can then dump substantially more rain.

The Surprising Link Between Thunderstorms and Asthma

As severe weather events become more common, public health systems will face a challenge in treating respiratory illnesses.

Thunder fever sounds fake, but it’s a real danger to asthma sufferers

When spring and summer storms strike, asthma attacks can get worse.

Thunderstorm asthma and public health – looking back to move forward

Thunderstorms, like many types of weather phenomena, can be dramatic, illuminating the skies and inspiring folklore, legends and songs. Lesser known is the impact thunderstorms can have on health. Since first formally recorded in 1983, there have been instances where thunderstorm activity has been linked to increases in people reporting symptoms of asthma and seeking medical attention for issues with their breathing. These episodes are termed ‘thunderstorm asthma’.

What It's Like to Have an Irrational Fear of Thunderstorms

"If the news said thunderstorms were in the forecast, I'd be too scared to go to school."