Lately, nature has been surprising us more and more with events that escape what we understand as logical or normal. And one of those manifestations that has grown in recent years is thunderstorms, with heavy rains in a short period of time and the presence of lightning. In many cases, society does not know how to act in these situations. People don't know what to do to protect themselves from a thunderstorm with a lot of lightning. And that's what we're here to talk about today.

First, to provide some context, it is necessary to provide data on this situation. According to the global meteorology detection system, about 44,000 storms occur daily in the world. Furthermore, according to the same source, more than 8 million lightning strikes are generated. Continuing with the data, and to give another example, in Spain on September 1, 2021, a total of 41,000 lightning strikes fell on the peninsula according to the media outlet EuropaPress, and, according to the same portal, the all-time record in Spain's history is over 200,000 lightning strikes.

Now that we have seen the context in which we find ourselves, the situation is, to say the least, alarming. And we need to know how to act in these situations. Because, in the event of a thunderstorm, would you know how to act? In this post, we are going to explain what to do whether you are at home or on the street.

If you are outside your home or a building and are caught in a thunderstorm, here is the advice we give you:

  • Whenever possible, although it may sound logical, avoid being outdoors during a storm as much as you can. If you know the weather might change and a storm could occur, stay home and avoid going out.
  • In most cases, lightning arrives before the rain. That's why you shouldn't wait for the rain to start to take precautions.
  • If the storm starts and you are still on the street, you should look for an enclosed shelter. A house or a car, among others, are perfect shelters for protection. And close the windows.
  • If lightning strikes near your position and you cannot easily access a shelter, you should crouch down into a tucked position, squatting, and trying to have as little of your feet touching the ground as possible to avoid attracting this energy.
  • If you are not alone and are with others, you should separate from each other by a few centimeters.
  • Avoid as much as possible staying in areas near water or where you could be in contact with it (rivers, puddles, fountains, etc.).
  • Avoid open spaces and elevated areas of land.
  • As we said with water, the same applies to metal. Avoid contact with metal objects (wire fences, electrical towers, machinery, pipes or tubing, etc.).
  • Stay away from concrete walls or floors.
  • Avoid getting under a tall tree or under areas prepared for barbecues or areas designed for rain protection.


If you are at home, and even though you think you are protected, that is not entirely the case. Our tips for protecting yourself from lightning at home are as follows:

  • Avoid handling or coming into contact with water during the storm.
  • Do not turn on any electronic devices, and try to stay as far away from them as possible during the storm (turn off and unplug the television, radio, computers, non-cordless phone, or stereo system).
  • Avoid contact with concrete.
  • If there is any incident, call the emergency number immediately.
  • Always wait until 30 minutes have passed since the last thunder or lightning before going out again.


These are basic tips for situations involving thunderstorms with lightning, whether you are outside or inside your home.