Weather

Reduce your lightning risk in the field

You reduce lightning risk by leaving exposed terrain early and reaching a substantial enclosed building or a fully enclosed, hard-topped vehicle with the windows shut. Use this skill whenever you hear thunder, even if rain has not reached you. No outdoor location is lightning-safe, so lower terrain is a fallback, not a substitute for proper shelter. Keep moving toward safety rather than stopping to crouch; a foam pad does not provide reliable lightning protection.

Weather 5 min practice Beginner This applies anywhere outdoors when thunderstorms threaten, especially on ridges, summits, open ground, and water. Plan escape routes before entering terrain where reaching proper shelter will take time.

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Topic summary

Key takeaways

You begin leaving exposed terrain immediately when thunder is heard.
Your group follows a shared escape route without gathering under isolated objects.
You reach a substantial enclosed building or fully enclosed, hard-topped vehicle whenever possible.
You track the last thunder and restart the 30-minute wait after each new rumble.
Avoid: Waiting for rain or counting flash-to-thunder intervals delays action; start evacuating as soon as you hear thunder.
Avoid: Sheltering under a lone tree or against a prominent boulder increases exposure; seek proper shelter or less exposed terrain.

Intended uses

Weather skill (Beginner, ~5 min practice)
Requires: Weather forecast and alert receiver, such as a phone or weather radio, Map showing escape routes, buildings, and vehicle access

Climate suitability

This applies anywhere outdoors when thunderstorms threaten, especially on ridges, summits, open ground, and water. Plan escape routes before entering terrain where reaching proper shelter will take time.

Safety: Tents, open-sided shelters, and rock overhangs are not safe lightning shelters. Metal equipment and wet ropes can carry current, but metal does not attract lightning and setting equipment exactly 30 feet away is not an established protective measure; do not delay evacuation or detach essential climbing protection to discard gear.

Required tools

Weather forecast and alert receiver, such as a phone or weather radio
Map showing escape routes, buildings, and vehicle access

Required materials

Paper for recording your shelter and evacuation plan
Pencil for marking escape routes

Step-by-step

The moment you hear thunder, start moving off exposed terrain — ridges, summits, open meadows, and shorelines.
Why: Thunder means lightning is close enough to threaten you, so leave ridges, summits, open meadows, and shorelines immediately rather than waiting for rain or a nearby flash.
Head to lower ground, ideally uniform terrain in a stand of shorter trees of similar height.
Why: If proper shelter is unreachable, lower terrain among shorter trees of similar height reduces your exposure compared with high ground or isolated trees, but it remains unsafe. Avoid gullies and drainage channels that could flood.
Avoid isolated tall objects (single trees, poles, boulders taller than the surroundings).
Why: Isolated tall objects are more exposed to strikes, and current can jump from them or travel through the ground around them. Stay away rather than using them as shelter.
If you cannot reach shelter, spread your group so any strike affects only one person, and squat on the balls of your feet on a foam pad — never lie down.
Why: Spread your group while maintaining communication to reduce the chance of multiple casualties, but do not assume a strike will affect only one person. The proposed squat on a foam pad is not recommended lightning protection: keep moving toward proper shelter, and never lie flat.
Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before returning to exposed terrain.
Why: Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before leaving proper shelter or returning to exposed terrain, because dangerous lightning can continue after rain eases. Restart the waiting period whenever you hear thunder again.

Common mistakes

Waiting for rain or counting flash-to-thunder intervals delays action; start evacuating as soon as you hear thunder.
Sheltering under a lone tree or against a prominent boulder increases exposure; seek proper shelter or less exposed terrain.
Treating a tent, foam pad, or lightning crouch as protection can stop your evacuation; keep moving toward a building or enclosed vehicle.
Clustering together can expose several people to the same strike; spread out while keeping communication and a shared destination.
Returning when the sky brightens ignores lingering danger; wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder.

Troubleshooting

If no building or enclosed vehicle is reachable, then continue toward lower, less exposed terrain while avoiding isolated trees, water, and flood-prone channels.
If descent requires hazardous scrambling, then choose the quickest route you can negotiate safely rather than creating an immediate fall risk.
If you are on the water, then head for shore immediately, get out, and move away from the shoreline toward proper shelter.
If someone is struck, then call for emergency help and provide CPR and an AED if needed and available; the person does not retain an electrical charge.

Field practice drill

In fair weather, spend about five minutes identifying your nearest proper shelter, an escape route, and a lower-exposure fallback. Say “thunder” and rehearse the group's immediate response: announce the destination, move without clustering, and identify who will track the last thunder. Do not practice by remaining outside during an actual storm.

Indicators of success

You begin leaving exposed terrain immediately when thunder is heard.
Your group follows a shared escape route without gathering under isolated objects.
You reach a substantial enclosed building or fully enclosed, hard-topped vehicle whenever possible.
You track the last thunder and restart the 30-minute wait after each new rumble.

Related outdoor skills

Educational reference only. Wilderness conditions change fast — practice in low-stakes settings, take a certified wilderness first-aid course, and confirm regional regulations before you rely on any of these skills in the field.