Book 7, Question 34
Why Should You Avoid Open Fields in Lightning?
An open field has no tall buildings or trees, so a person standing in it becomes one of the tallest things around. That makes you a risky target for lightning. Flat and lonely is bad lightning math.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- Crouching down outdoors does not make you any safer from lightning.
- Never lie flat on the ground during a thunderstorm.
- Don't shelter under a lone tree or under a cliff or rocky overhang.
- Picnic shelters, dugouts, and metal sheds are not safe places during lightning.
- Lightning can strike more than 3 miles from the center of a storm, even where it isn't raining.
- So-called bolts from the blue can strike 10 to 15 miles away from the thunderstorm.
- The best plan is to get to a safe building or a hard-topped vehicle as soon as you hear thunder.
Sources: National Weather Service, NOAA
Questions kids ask
Should I crouch down if I'm caught outside in lightning?
Crouching doesn't make you safer. Get to a building or a hard-topped car as fast as you can.
Can lightning strike when it isn't raining?
Yes. Bolts from the blue can strike 10 to 15 miles from a storm.