How Dangerous Are Lightning Strikes?

9/4/2021 (Permalink)

If you have damage to your home due to fire, water or a storm, you can count on SERVPRO of Troup-Coweta Counties to help.

If you are faced with a severe thunderstorm watch or warning, your concerns are likely focused around high winds, hail and flash flooding, but did you know that lightning is one of the most dangerous forces that a thunderstorm produces? Lightning is present in every single
thunderstorm, as it is actually lightning’s electrical discharge that causes a clap of thunder to be heard—and where there is lightning, there is the threat of injury, fatality and property damage.

Lightning has been reported to cause at least 43  fatalities every year since 1989, and it also
causes innumerable fires and other types of property damage when it strikes. Below, we will
look at exactly what makes lightning so dangerous to anyone in a thunderstorm’s path.

What Makes Lightning So Dangerous?

**Lightning is present during every thunderstorm.** While factors like high winds and hail are only present in some thunderstorm scenarios, lightning is a guaranteed threat if there are thunderclaps. Because lightning is pervasive, it has a much more frequent chance to cause
damage than other types of weather-related incidents.

**Lightning delivers major voltage.** Lightning carries an extremely high electrical current, which
can cause damage in a number of ways. You may be familiar with power surges that occur when lightning strikes a home, but lightning can also lead to water becoming electrified (which is
why swimming during a storm is dangerous) and can send electrical waves through the ground
or any other surface it strikes that can cause injury to those around.

**Lightning can cause fires to start.** In addition to being extremely charged, lightning is also
thousands of degrees and can quickly lead to a fire. When lightning strikes a home, building or
tree, it can ignite the object where it strikes and lead to serious fire damages.

**Lightning can lead to leaks.** Not only can lightning cause house fires, but it can also cause
household leaks. If your home is struck by lightning, it will likely leave an open area where it
came into contact with your roof or siding—and if it is storming, this can quickly lead to serious
water damage. If you suspect your home has been struck by lightning, be sure to carefully
check your exterior as soon as it is safe to do so.

*If you have damage to your home due to fire, water or a storm, you can count on us to help.
Contact us today to learn more about all of our restoration services.*