Lightning Strikes: Definitions
Stay safe! Make sure you know the facts about lightning strikes* to avoid injury:
Direct Strike: These are not as common as people think, but are potentially the most deadly. In a direct strike, a portion of the current moves along the skin (flashover), and a portion moves through the body, usually through the cardiovascular and/or nervous system.
Side Flash or Side Splash: Lightning can jump from one object to another, such as when it strikes a tree and then jumps to a person that is one or two feet away. Since it is common for people to seek shelter from rain under a tree, this is a risk.
Ground Current is when lightning strikes a tree or other object, travels along the ground, and strikes up from the ground. Anyone outside near a lightning strike is a potential victim of ground current. This is the most prevalent cause of lightning-related deaths.
Conduction: Lightning can travel long distances in wires or other metal surfaces. Whether inside or outside, anyone in contact with anything connected to metal wires, plumbing, or metal surfaces that extend outside is at risk. This includes anything that plugs into an electrical outlet, water faucets and showers, corded phones, and windows and doors.
Streamers: As the downward-moving lightning approaches the ground, streamers are spawned. These streamers discharge when the main channel does, causing the same injuries as a direct strike.
And by the way, lightning CAN strike twice!
*National Weather Service, Lightning Science: Five Ways Lightning Strikes People
Direct Strike: These are not as common as people think, but are potentially the most deadly. In a direct strike, a portion of the current moves along the skin (flashover), and a portion moves through the body, usually through the cardiovascular and/or nervous system.
Side Flash or Side Splash: Lightning can jump from one object to another, such as when it strikes a tree and then jumps to a person that is one or two feet away. Since it is common for people to seek shelter from rain under a tree, this is a risk.
Ground Current is when lightning strikes a tree or other object, travels along the ground, and strikes up from the ground. Anyone outside near a lightning strike is a potential victim of ground current. This is the most prevalent cause of lightning-related deaths.
Conduction: Lightning can travel long distances in wires or other metal surfaces. Whether inside or outside, anyone in contact with anything connected to metal wires, plumbing, or metal surfaces that extend outside is at risk. This includes anything that plugs into an electrical outlet, water faucets and showers, corded phones, and windows and doors.
Streamers: As the downward-moving lightning approaches the ground, streamers are spawned. These streamers discharge when the main channel does, causing the same injuries as a direct strike.
And by the way, lightning CAN strike twice!
*National Weather Service, Lightning Science: Five Ways Lightning Strikes People