What to do when its thundering and lightning?

Question

My neighbour says that you should leave your windows and front door open so that any bolts of lightning that enter your home can find a quick exit. Has anyone else heard of this and do any of you do anyother strange things?

Answer 1

sit on the porch and watch the show

Answer 2

We get thunderstorms in the summer, and usually 3 to 4 per week. Lightning usually strikes tall trees, and the closest I've been to a lightning strike was about 100 ft. I could actually feel the heat from the strike.

I keep the windows closed because of the wind blowing the rain into the house. I don't stand out in the middle of my 2 acre lot because there is a huge open space. I stay indoors because I find the wind cool...

See a pattern here? I don't take any special precautions due to lightning. Lightning is going to follow it's one path.

What scientifically lightning is, is a breakdown of the dielectric of air. The clouds build up a static charge, the earth is a ground plane. As the bottom part of the cloud build up a charge the electric field increases between the ground and the cloud. When the charge reaches a certain point, the dielectric breaks down, and you get a current flow from the cloud to the ground (the lightning strike). Its the same thing that happens if you rub your feet on the carpet in the winter time and touch the light switch.

Lightning will strike the highest point normally because the dielectric breakdown is dependant on the distance between the ground and the clouds.

Answer 3

That is not true. The lightning is going to find the quickest, easiest route to get to the ground and an open or closed window is not going to affect the way the lightning goes. Houses are not that likely to get struck by lightning because, since lightning likes the fastest easiest route, it is going to go for the tallest thing in the area which is why it is usually a big tree that gets hit. And it's not true that lightning never strikes the same place twice. If something gets struck by lightning once, there's a good chance it could happen again. Because it probably got hit due the easy path it provided for the lightning to get to the ground. (And sometimes lightning goes from the ground up, but I'm not sure exactly how all that works).

Answer 4

DO THIS: Take a butter knife from the kitchen, get on your metal step ladder (they're more sturdy than them silly wood ones) and attempt to unbolt the TV receiver from the roof of your trailer home as that is the first place lightning will probably strike. It's best if you can be standing on the ladder while you're holding the antenna so as to create a good stable base so you will not fall of your ladder while removing the screws. If you get yours down before your neighbor, they will get the lightning strike, and not you.

Ok seriously? Lightning is just like eletricity, it finds the path of least resistance. If it did hit your house.. it's going straight through whatever it can (that is the best at conducting electricity in the vicinity) directly for the ground, not out your front door. Hah., that's funny though. Front door.. heheheh.

DON'T DO THIS: And actually.. don't EVEN get near your windows.. that's unsafe as heck during lightning. Get away from all windows. :) And stay inside. Unplug anything that is of good value. If you have telephone line going to your PC., disconnect the telephone line from the wall. Same with cable coax lines. Electronic equipment is super sensitive via these back doors as there is no power transformer built in line to save their lives. 75% of PCs are fried via these back entrances.. not via the three prong - in a trailer house.. two prong ;) outlets.

NEIGHBOR: I think your neighbor is just wanting to see you open the front door in a frantic with just underwear on or something.. might want to run a police report on this person!

Answer 5

I think your neighbor was pulling your leg as they say. Lightning is electricity of very high voltage and amperage power. If it gets in your house there is nothing you can do about it. You can help prevent it from coming in the house and this most likely is already done. Ground all electrical systems in your home. Most are already grounded so don't worry about it. Lightning will pass through windows as though they were not there so opening them is of no help. You will just get a wet house if it is raining. You personally are safer in a building than out in the open. If lightning strikes there is little that can be done. People getting struck by lightning is not very common so don't worry about it. Enjoy the storms and have a good summer.

Answer 6

Of course, there is only one thing you must absolutely do when there is lightning and thunder. Go to your pets and calm them. This is the single, most important thing you can do during this kind of storm. And believe, me, your pets will thank you. Your tone of voice, calmly assuring them that it is okay, will go a long way to helping them get through the storm without getting all upset. The last wild one we had here in South Portland, Maine, U.S.A., I went right to old Johann, our aging Maine coon cat and got right down on the second floor landing with him where he was a balled up looking terrified. I put my hand on him, between his shoulders, and scratched very lightly and began telling him everything was going to be just fine. At first, nothing. The ball did not budge. Then it slowly began to extend and make itself comfortable. So - next time the weather is wild, go to your pets and make absolutely sure they are okay, moment to moment. It takes so little to reassure them... if they can just see you are okay with the storm, they slowly unknot and relax, too. Some people unplug their television sets. What harm could that do? If it makes you feel better... leaving doors open - well, just make sure you have a couple rolls of paper towels handy as well, so you can sop up all the rain that the wind will bring in. There. Pets and paper towels. You're all set now for the next thunder-boomer! Sent to you with much love and the hope for a happy summer from, Chris in South Portland, Maine, U.S.A.

Answer 7

That is absurd. Lightning is electricity. Air is a lousy conductor. What you need is try not to touch anything metal, especially if it has an outside connection (like being plugged into the wall). In areas that get heavy lightning, you might want to turn off things like your computer and television.

See the links I've given for more information.

Answer 8

Is your neighbor trying to kill you? You keep the windows and doors closed and you stay away from them. Don't use any electronic equipment such as the computer, telephone or cell phone during an electric storm. Don't take a shower or a bath, either because water conducts electricity. Your neighbor is the victim of a very strange and dangerous old wives tale.

Answer 9

Stay off the phone and computer. Find something else to do. Some of the best sex I've had has been during big storms. You could do that.

The lightning can find a quick exit? lol wooo! that's um... funny :P

Answer 10

Dah! you have got to be joking.
Even a dog has sense enough to get out of a storm. Your neighbor is asking for a good jolt. Open your doors and windows, maybe even go outside and stand in the storm. I have a good one. Go find a cow out in a pasture, jump on it's back and ride. Yew Haw!

Answer 11

opening the windows and doors will do nothing. lightning follows the path of least resistance. if your really worried about it you should attach a lightning rod to your house that way any lightning that may come close to your house will strike the rod and travel safely to the ground.