By now, you've likely heard of the 14-year-old Campbell County boy that was struck and killed by lightning over the weekend. While the teen and a friend were fishing, a storm approached their location. While running to a barn for protection, the boy was struck.Remember, thunder is nature's warning sign. We often tell local elementary students, "If you're close enough to hear thunder, you're close enough to be struck by lightning." When faced with a storm, seek shelter. Apply the 30/30 rule. If you see lightning, and then hear thunder within 30 seconds, go inside for 30 minutes until the storm passes. Also, know that lightning can strike several miles away from the parent thunderstorm. We call this "A bolt from the blue." Lightning has been known to strike over 25 miles away from the storm it's coming from. In other words, if a storm is in Roanoke, a lightning bolt could hit a place like Smith Mountain Lake, Christiansburg, Fincastle or Rocky Mount.
June 24-30 marks "Lightning Safety Week". To learn more about lightning safety, return to the weather page on wdbj7.com --Jay
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