Thunderstorm safety
Thunderstorms are a common natural occurrence. These storms are characterised by lightning, thunder, heavy rainfall, and strong winds. Photographers must know the dangers to avoid dying for that shot.
Thunderstorms can be dangerous and cause property damage or personal injury, and it’s essential to practice thunderstorm safety measures. One of the most important measures is maintaining a safe distance from electrical storms. In this blog post, we will explain how to estimate the reach of a thunderstorm and maintain a safe distance.
The first step to estimating the distance of a thunderstorm is to count the time between the lightning flash and the thunderclap. Sound travels approximately 340 meters per second, while light travels about 299,792 kilometres per second. The time delay between seeing the lightning flash and hearing the thunder can be used to estimate the storm’s distance.
Estimating the distance.
To estimate the distance of a thunderstorm, count the number of seconds between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder and divide by five. For example, if you count 10 seconds between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder, the storm is approximately 3 kilometres away. If you count 30 seconds, the storm is about ten kilometres away.
Maintain a safe distance from electrical storms, generally considered at least 10 kilometres away. Thunderstorms can produce lightning strikes that can travel several kilometres from the storm. Avoid being the highest point in an area during a thunderstorm, as lightning takes the shortest path from cloud to ground.
In conclusion, practising thunderstorm safety is crucial to avoiding potential danger during electrical storms. Estimating the distance of a thunderstorm using the time between lightning and thunder is a simple way to maintain a safe distance from the storm. Remember to stay at least 10 kilometres from any thunderstorm and avoid being at the highest point in the area.