The most useful lightning advice begins before anyone is struck: when thunder is audible, move to suitable shelter. A substantial building or enclosed metal-topped vehicle with closed windows is the priority.
Do not wait for warning sensations
A crouching posture or a short flash-to-thunder interval is not a reason to remain outdoors. Hair standing up or a tingling feeling is not a reliable early-warning system to plan around.
Stay sheltered after the storm seems to pass
The National Weather Service advises waiting at least 30 minutes after the last thunder. Outdoors, avoid isolated trees, exposed high ground and water; do not lie flat. These risk-reduction points do not make any outdoor position safe. The old infographic is preserved below as historical material, with an explicit correction. Its crouching emphasis must not delay reaching shelter.
Further information: National Weather Service lightning guidance
Explore more: lightning and an enclosed vehicle; understanding a severe storm’s structure.
Choose shelter before you need it
Before an outdoor activity, identify where the group can go and how long reaching it will take. The National Weather Service’s examples distinguish substantial buildings and suitable vehicles from tents, dugouts and open-sided picnic shelters. A roof that keeps rain off is not automatically lightning protection. That is especially relevant at a campsite or sports ground where the most convenient covered area may be the wrong destination.
Do not let a diagram delay the decision
Once inside, shelter still requires a little care. NWS advises staying away from plumbing, corded telephones, electrical equipment, windows and doors during the storm. Put the outdoor activity on hold rather than watching from an open doorway or taking a shower while waiting. This is a useful part of a group plan: everyone should know both which building or vehicle to reach and what to do after arriving. The old crouching illustration cannot substitute for that plan; NWS stopped recommending the crouch in 2008 because it offers little protection. [1]
Make the return decision as clear as the departure
NWS advises waiting at least thirty minutes after the last thunder before resuming outdoor activity. A break in rain or a brighter patch of sky does not replace that timing. Agreeing on the rule beforehand reduces pressure to restart because one person thinks the storm looks finished. The group’s plan should cover both reaching shelter and deciding when to leave it.
Historical illustration: do not use it as a safety procedure
The original image promoted an outdoor crouching response. It is included to preserve the article’s visual record, not as recommended action. No outdoor posture makes a thunderstorm safe. Read the current National Weather Service guidance linked here, and use the shelter-first advice in this article rather than the old diagram.
Sources, photography and further reading
Original feature and image attributions:
- it's a lot more likely
- The Art of Manliness
- let's just say we recommend getting your affairs in order first
- Gizmodo
- Digg
- How to Walk on Ice
- How to Build A Snow Cave to Keep Warm
- How to Survive an Avalanche?
- That's Genius! How to Make Fire from Ice
- That's Brilliant! How To Turn A Beer Can Into The Only Camping Stove You’ll Ever Need
- National Weather Service lightning guidance
- lightning and an enclosed vehicle
- understanding a severe storm’s structure
Current reference information, checked 15 September 2026:
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