Perhaps the most publicized lightning storm happened on August 27 as Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech were kicking off a football game in Blacksburg. The game was canceled. Fortunately, lightning did not strike the stadium and there were no fatalities or serious injuries. Whether you are at a stadium with thousands of other people or cutting the grass in your backyard, you need to go inside a sturdy building or a vehicle when you hear thunder or see lightning . Now, before the summer months, is an excellent time to learn about lightning safety.
Lightning can strike at any time, including just before the storm hits or after it leaves the area.
If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning. Because lightning tends to strike the tallest object, athletic fields are dangerous places during a thunderstorm. During thunderstorms, metal bleachers, fences, light poles, field goal posts or soccer goal posts are dangerous. When lightning hits these objects, the charge travels through the metal, shocking anyone in its path. Play it safe this summer and don't become a disaster statistic.