Running When Thunder Is Nearby: NWS Lightning Safety Rules

A run is one of the most exposed things you can do in a thunderstorm: you are outdoors, often in open parks or on long roads, and sometimes far from a building. The National Weather Service (NWS) has clear guidance for outdoor sports and recreation, and it is stricter than most runners assume: if you hear thunder, stop.

1. Why lightning catches people out

NWS estimates that thunderstorms produce 20 to 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes in the United States each year. Some strike directly under the storm, where it is raining. Others reach out away from the storm, where people think the threat is low or gone, and catch them by surprise.

Based on cases NWS has documented in recent years, about 30 people are killed by lightning each year and hundreds more are injured, some with lifelong neurological damage. About two-thirds of the deaths are associated with outdoor recreational activities.

NWS also says a significant lightning threat extends outward from the base of a thunderstorm cloud about 6 to 10 miles.

2. When to stop your run

NWS gives three triggers for stopping outdoor activity:

1. You see lightning. In clear air, and especially at night, lightning can be seen from storms more than 10 miles away.
2. You hear thunder. Thunder can usually be heard about 10 miles away if there is no background noise. NWS says if you hear thunder, it is a safe bet the storm is within ten miles. Traffic, wind, and rain can make thunder harder to hear, which matters for runners near roads or wearing earbuds.
3. The sky looks threatening. Storms can form directly overhead, and some produce lightning as soon as they arrive.

If any of these happen, NWS's advice is to stop immediately and get to a safe place immediately. It also reminds you to account for the time it will take to get there.

3. What counts as safe shelter

NWS is blunt: there is no place outside that is safe when a thunderstorm is in the area. The only completely safe action is to get inside a safe building or vehicle.

Safe:

• Substantial buildings with wiring and plumbing, such as offices, schools, and homes
• A hard-topped metal vehicle with the windows closed

Not safe:

• Small outdoor buildings, including rain shelters, sheds, and dugouts
• Open-sided picnic shelters
• Tents

Once inside a building, NWS says to stay away from windows and doors and from anything that conducts electricity, such as corded phones, wiring, and plumbing.

4. The 30-minute rule

When can you go back out? NWS says that because electrical charges can linger in clouds after a storm seems to have passed, people should wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming outdoor activity. Its examples repeat the same rule: wait 30 minutes after the last rumble.

For a runner, that usually means the run is over or needs to move indoors. A treadmill session or a rescheduled run is the safer choice.

5. If you are caught far from shelter

NWS stresses that if you are outside, you are not safe. But if you absolutely cannot reach a building or vehicle, its tips can slightly lower the risk:

• Avoid open fields, hilltops, and ridges.
• Stay away from tall, isolated trees and other tall objects; in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees.
• If you are in a group, spread out so current cannot travel between people.
• Stay away from water, wet items, and metal objects such as fences and poles. NWS explains that water and metal do not attract lightning, but they conduct electricity well.

6. If someone is struck

NWS says most victims can survive a lightning strike, but they need immediate medical attention:

• Call 911.
• Victims do not carry an electrical charge, so it is safe to help them.
• If the heart or breathing has stopped, CPR or an AED may be needed.
• Keep monitoring the person until help arrives, and if possible move them to a safer place away from the threat of another strike.

7. Planning runs around storms

NWS's advice for outdoor events starts before anyone heads out: check the latest forecast, and if thunderstorms are forecast, consider canceling, postponing, or moving indoors. In mountain areas, it notes thunderstorms typically develop in the early afternoon, so plan to be done by midday. For runners, that translates to:

• Check the forecast before you leave, not just the current sky.
• On storm days, choose a route that passes substantial buildings (not sheds or shelters) you could get into.
• In the mountains, run early.
• Decide in advance that thunder means you stop.

8. Key takeaways

• NWS says about two-thirds of U.S. lightning deaths are linked to outdoor recreation.
• Lightning can strike 6 to 10 miles from a storm; if you hear thunder, the storm is likely within 10 miles.
• Stop running at the first lightning, thunder, or threatening sky, and get to a substantial building or hard-topped car.
• Shelters, sheds, picnic pavilions, and tents are not safe.
• Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back out.