News

Jun 19, 2023

Is it safe to shower during a thunderstorm?

(NEXSTAR) – When pounding rain and lightning force you to take cover inside, a warm shower might be an inviting thought, but experts warn it could be more dangerous than you think. Lightning can

(NEXSTAR) – When pounding rain and lightning force you to take cover inside, a warm shower might be an inviting thought, but experts warn it could be more dangerous than you think.

Lightning can travel through plumbing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

It’s not just showers that should be avoided, but all activities that use water from the home’s pipes, including bathing, washing dishes and washing hands.

“The risk of lightning traveling through plumbing might be less with plastic pipes than with metal pipes,” the CDC says. “However, it is best to avoid any contact with plumbing and running water during a lightning storm to reduce your risk of being struck.”

Just to illustrate how powerful lightning can be inside your home, in May 2022, lightning traveled through the exhaust vent of an Oklahoma apartment building and shattered a toilet in one of the units, leaving the walls and ceiling above it covered in soot.

Here are some other precautions to take when a thunderstorm approaches:

According to the CDC, about 10% of people die after lightning strikes them, usually from a heart attack.

The U.S. averaged 43 reported lightning fatalities every year from 1989 to 2018, according to the National Weather Service. The odds of getting struck by lightning are 1 in 15,300, but that probability could be higher depending on the state – strikes are more common in Texas and Florida, for instance – and the amount of work or recreational outdoor activity the person does.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.