Folks that work on or near the water may also want to consider storm spotter training. This is a 2-3 hour class put on by your local National Weather Service Office. Find your local NWS office by visiting the National Weather Service web site.

Mariners are particularly at risk for lightning strikes. Marine vessels are often the tallest objects in a large open space. Seeking the tallest objects, lightning has blown out the bottom of boats and caused millions of dollars in damage to navigational equipment. The glow on a masthead produced by an extreme buildup of electrical charge is known as “St. Elmo’s Fire.” Unprotected mariners should immediately move to shelter when this phenomenon occurs. Lightning may strike the mast within five minutes after it begins to glow.

You can tell how close you are to a lightning strike by counting the seconds between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder. For every five seconds you count, the lightning is one mile away. If you see a flash and instantly hear the thunder, the lightning strike is very close. Take shelter immediately. A hand-held bearing compass can be used to determine if you are in the path of a storm. By observing the storm’s ground flashes and using a series of bearings, you can plot the approach of a thunderstorm. If the bearing of the flashes doesn’t change, the average storm is heading toward you, and it is time to alter your course.

Lightning is a threat whenever:

• You see lightning or hear thunder
• You hear loud static on your AM radio
• You hear buzzing sounds on radio antennas
• Mastheads begin to glow

The principle lightning safety guide is the “30-30 Rule.” The first “30” represents 30 seconds. If the time between when you see the flash and hear the thunder is 30 seconds or less, the lightning is close enough to hit you. If you haven’t already, seek shelter immediately. The second “30” stands for 30 minutes. After the last flash of lightning, wait 30 minutes before leaving your shelter. More than one half of lightning deaths occur after a thunderstorm has passed.

Before you get out on the water, know what conditions to expect. Listen to a NOAA Weather Radio for weather info and plan your trip accordingly. If severe weather is approaching or forecast, the best bet is to stay ashore. Even when conditions look good, mariners should still leave a float plan with a marina or someone ashore, and make sure they have an escape route planned in case a thunderstorm cuts off the original course back to land.

Continue to listen to weather forecasts; conditions can change dramatically out on the water. At the FIRST sign of severe weather approaching, GET OFF THE WATER, GET OUT OF YOUR VESSEL, AND SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. If a thunderstorm catches you unexpectedly and you CANNOT get to shore immediately, follow these safety guides:

• Keep away from metal objects not grounded to the vessel’s protection system. Contact with them during a direct hit can cause electrocution. Position yourself in the middle of the boat and get as low to the deck as possible.

• Stay out of the shower and away from other plumbing fixtures. The electrical charge often travels along and through plumbing.

• Wear a life jacket at all times. A victim struck by lightning can be rendered unconscious and fall overboard.

• Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio for the latest warnings, watches, advisories, and forecasts from the local National Weather Service office.

REMEMBER! THE ONLY PREDICTABLE CHARACTERISTIC OF LIGHTNING IS ITS UNPREDICTABILITY!