thunder storms

[tracymort]

what precautions do you take in the home. I have always had the urge to unplug sky, arial, telephone and stay away from windows. Am I being silly?

[strozzi]

It is wise to stay away from metal windows. It is also sensible to unplug electronic equipment. Here is a link to a site offering advice.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/tucson/thunder/TSAW/part4.
html

[sft42]

Don't use the phone or turn lights on or off during any activity....many people have been killed doing this.....unplugging expensive equipment is a good precaution but we (UK) don't really seem to get that many big storms to get into the habit of taking proper lighting precautions.

If your really worried about electrical components then get a surge protected adapter for your sockets.

[Jacob]

Oi nivver allow moiself to be strapped to a bed and get connected by electrodes to a big computer and set of bubbling test tubes by anyone in a white coat, staring eyes and a mad cackle. Oi did it once, and nivver again.

[Miss Zippy]

I suggest rendering oneself non-conductive by dressing from head to toe in rubber.

[parkhead]

I was once in a house that was struck by lightening. Everything that was plugged in blew, the lights went out and the blinds at the windows jerked violently, but that was about it. The lightening was attracted by a brass washing line hook, so i don't have brass washing line hooks on the house and try to unplug whatever I can when ever there is a big storm.

[c_gotheridge]

well really you are being abit silly because if you are living in either an urban or rural area there are likley to be other things nearby that are far more likley to be hit eg. trees but if you are going to start unpluging things i suggest tv aerial (if it is mounted externally) and sensitive electronic devises eg televisions, computers, but you could always go and sit in your car if your really worried as the car will pass the electricity around you.

[KEJ2000]

Staying away from windows is a good idea. One time, lightning struck a large oak tree right outside my kitchen window-- too bad I was sitting in the kitchen at the time-- and pieces of the tree's bark exploded off and came flying forcefully into the side of the house. The window was closed, and the glass did not break (though the aluminum siding got all dented), but that event gave me a fright I will never forget!!! It was like the loudest explosion imaginable. Now I "hide" in an inner room of the house until the storm is finished!!! Also, be sure that you aren't taking a shower or bath during a storm, because both the plumbing *and* the water itself will conduct electricity. I wouldn't wash my hands at the sink either, for the same reason! Never use the house phone during the storm; only use a cellular phone if you have one, or just wait. Also, don't forget that lightning can occur ~30 minutes before the actual rain begins to fall, until ~30 minutes after the rain has stopped. So, be familiar with the weather forecast to know when a storm might be coming instead of just relying on seeing the rain outside!

[~Vulpine~]

We unplug the external TV aerial, keep inside, comfort the dog, and also unplug the PC's modem - during a storm a while ago, it blew and we were left without the internet for three months. Did worse to my mother than if she was the one who had been struck by lightning, har har.