Never Shower During a Thunderstorm. A Physicist Explains Why



For the UK, the Met Office has issued a number of "yellow thunderstorm warnings," emphasizing the likelihood of frequent lightning.

While there is a little chance that you will be struck by lightning, it is still crucial to know how to keep safe while a thunderstorm is in the area. Around 24,000 individuals are killed by lightning each year worldwide, and another 240,000 suffer injuries.

Basic precautions against thunderstorms, like avoiding standing near windows or beneath trees, are known to the majority of people (mobile phones are safe).

But did you know that during a thunderstorm, you shouldn't wash the dishes, take a bath, or take a shower?

You must first have a basic understanding of how thunderstorms and lightning function in order to comprehend why.

Moisture and rising warm air—two fundamental components that, of course, go hand in hand with summer—are what make thunderstorms thrive. Huge amounts of moist air are produced by the high temperatures and humidity, and this moist air rises into the atmosphere where it might turn into a thunderstorm.

Millions of water and ice droplets are present in clouds, and it is their interaction that causes lightning to strike. The ice drops that are falling clash with the rising water drops, giving the latter a negative charge while leaving the rising water drops with a positive charge.

When a thunderstorm occurs, clouds split positive and negative charges to produce large charge separations inside the clouds.

A lightning strike is drawn to the ground by the opposing charge that thunderclouds create as they pass over the planet. The thunderstorm discharges between positive and negative regions in order to balance its charges.

Things that are more conductive (like metal) are more likely to be struck during a storm since the path of this discharge is typically the one with the least resistance.

The best thunderstorm tip is to stay indoors when the thunderclaps. This does not, however, mean that the storm will not harm you at all. Some indoor hobbies can be almost as dangerous as being outside during a storm.

You're extremely unlikely to be struck by lightning unless you're taking a bath outside or taking a shower while it's raining. However, if lightning strikes your home, the energy will travel to the earth via the path of least resistance.                 
The water in your pipes or metal wires act as a convenient conductor for the electricity to follow to the earth.

Water and metal are both present in the shower, making it the perfect conduit for electrical.

That soothing shower can become far less soothing as a result. To lower your chance of a strike, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highly advise individuals to stay away from any water-based activity during a thunderstorm, including doing the dishes.

While a thunderstorm is occurring, there are extra dangers to be aware of. Leaning on a concrete wall is one that might not be noticeable. Concrete isn't particularly conductive in and of itself, but if it has been reinforced with metal bars, or "rebar," they can act as a conductor for the lightning.

Additionally, stay away from using anything that is hooked into an electrical outlet, such as computers, TVs, washing machines, and dishwashers, as they can all serve as paths for lightning strikes.

As a general rule, if you can hear distant thunder, you are nearby enough for lightning to strike even if there is no rain.

As much as ten miles can separate lightning strikes from the source storm.

It's usually safe to go back into the shower 30 minutes after hearing the last thunderclap. You don't want to become a part of the pyrotechnics at the end of a thunderstorm because major storms typically save their best for last.                                                                                                                                          Nottingham Trent University                                 

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