Heat lightning skin#

Anyone outside near a lightning strike is potentially a victim of ground current. When lightning strikes a tree or other object, much of the energy travels outward from the strike in and along the ground surface. Most often, side flash victims have taken shelter under a tree to avoid rain or hail.

Side flashes generally occur when the victim is within a foot or two of the object that is struck. In essence, the person acts as a “short circuit” for some of energy in the lightning discharge. While the ability to survive any lightning strike is related to immediate medical attention, the amount of current moving through the body is also a factor.Ī side flash (also called a side splash) occurs when lightning strikes a taller object near the victim and a portion of the current jumps from taller object to the victim.

Heat lightning skin#

The heat produced when lightning moves over the skin can produce burns, but the current moving through the body is of greatest concern. In most direct strikes, a portion of the current moves along and just over the skin surface (called flashover) and a portion of the current moves through the body-usually through the cardiovascular and/or nervous systems. Direct strikes are not as common as the other ways people are struck by lightning, but they are potentially the most deadly. Most often, direct strikes occur to victims who are in open areas. Immediate medical attention, including calling 911, starting CPR, and using an AED, may be critically important to keep the person alive until more advanced medical care arrives.Ī person struck directly by lightning becomes a part of the main lightning discharge channel. Any of these types of strikes can be deadly. You’re generally safe to watch the flashes of a faraway storm, but remain mindful of your safety if the storm is close enough to make out the individual bolts of lightning.It is not always possible to know exactly how a victim has been struck, but here is a list of ways that lightning strikes its victims. There are countless cases of people who were injured or killed by lightning thrown off by distant thunderstorms.Ī general rule of thumb is that you’re close enough to get struck by lightning if you can hear thunder, even if the skies are clear where you are. Lightning can strike dozens of kilometres away from a thunderstorm, particularly when it’s a robust thunderstorm that’s thriving on the instability of a steamy day.

While the phrase “heat lightning” stems from a false belief, a “bolt from the blue” is a true and serious threat. But it’s important to remember that even faraway thunderstorms can pose a threat to your safety. It’s soothing to watch a storm far in the distance while you bask in the comfort of a summer night. The most prevalent theory held that this mystical lightning was a natural discharge of the hot, humid air, giving rise to the myth of “heat lightning.”ĭON'T MISS: Get to know the weather terms you'll be hearing about this summer SEE ALSO: Beat the heat, sun, and summer storms with these things Lacking weather radar, and watching these vivid flashes without hearing any thunder, folks came up with theories on why these enchanting flickers danced in the distance. Many decades ago, long before we had much modern knowledge of meteorology, folks would gaze upon the horizon on a steamy summer evening to see the sky light up with a relentless barrage of silent lightning flashes. Heat lightning is a phrase that takes on a life of its own in the summertime. Many folks know this as “heat lightning,” and it’s less mysterious than its legend leads us to believe. The only thing that could make those peaceful nights even more enjoyable is the serene strobe of lightning in the distance. Call it whatever you want, but it’s one of life’s simplest enjoyments to sit outside on a summer evening while you soak in the warm breeze, listening to the crickets chirp while the leaves gently rustle around you. Porch season, patio season, sit-outside-and-enjoy-it-season. We’re coming up on the best time of year: porch season.