Never do this during a thunderstorm
Take a shower
In the case that lightning strikes your house during a thunderstorm, taking a shower can put you in danger. If your house gets hit by lightning, the bolt can travel through metal water pipes and electrify you in the shower, or even if you wash your hands.
Stand under a wooden object
Standing under a tree is considered an extremely risky place to be during a thunderstorm. Depending on where you are, trees are likely the tallest object around and will be hit by lightning before you. However, the lightning can jump from the tree to you because humans conduct electricity better than trees. With that said, you should probably avoid standing under or near any other tall wooden objects.
Stand in the open
Though you might be afraid to stand under a tree when there’s lightning, another thing you should never do during a thunderstorm is stand outside in the open spaces like porches, gazebos, golf courses, and parks. As soon as you notice thunder or lightning, you need to get inside as quickly as possible.
Touch concrete structures
Concrete walls, floors and buildings tend to have metal wires or bars through them. To keep lightning from striking you, don’t stand near or lean on these concrete structures.
Lie down
Lightning strikes the tallest object first, so it would make sense to make your body the smallest object around, right? That’s correct, but one thing you should never do during thunderstorms is lie down on the ground.
Even at 30 metres away, the electric current from lightning that runs on the top of the ground can still be deadly. The best way to make yourself small is to crouch down in a ball-like position with your head tucked and hands covering your ears.
Go outside directly after a thunderstorm
If you’re outside and see lightning, you should start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before getting to 30, then you need to go inside. But when do you come back outside? Waiting at least 30 minutes is recommended before heading outside again after a thunderstorm.
Use a landline
Not many people use landlines these days, but if you still have one in your home, don’t use it during a thunderstorm. You shouldn’t even use your laptop or other electrical appliances because lightning can travel through electrical systems and zap anything connected to an outlet.
Definitely don’t try unplugging devices during a storm either, as that’s also increases your risk of electrocution. The safest way to contact someone during a storm is to use a mobile phone – just make sure it’s not plugged into the charger.
Waste time removing metal
Metal conducts lightning but won’t necessarily attract it, according to the US National Weather Service. If you’re outside during a thunderstorm, don’t spend time trying to remove any metal that you’re wearing on your body, like belts or watches.
Your main concern should be getting inside to safety, avoiding metal fences and railing along the way. However, the CDC says that you increase your chances of being directly hit by lightning if you carry a conductor (i.e. something made of metal) above shoulder level.
Stay in a huddled group
Another thing you should never do in a thunderstorm is stay close to your friends or have people near you. By separating from a group of people, you can lower the amount of people who are at risk of being hurt by ground currents and side flashes between people.
Touch anything wet
The US National Weather Service explains that water, like metal, doesn’t attract lightning, but it can conduct it. If you touch anything wet or are in water, you put yourself at a high risk of being shocked. Always remove yourself from the pool, lake, or any body of water during a thunderstorm.
Image credits: Getty Images
This article originally appeared on Reader's Digest.