Hair standing on end? Get to safety! (2024)

TELLS US, ON RARE OCCASIONS, THERE CAN BE SIGNS THAT LIGHTNING IS ABOUT TO STRIKE. WELL LIGHTNING CAN BE A DANGEROUS THING.E W ACTUALLY GOT A REMINDER OF THAT FROM OUR VERY OWN LYDIA FIELDER EARLIER THIS WEEK. LYDIA, WHO REPORTS FOR US, WAS IN FARMINGTON AND LIGHTNING HAD JUST STRUC K. ACTUALLY BEFORE SHE TOOK THIS PICTU. RESHE WAS FINE. THE LIGHTNING STRUCK NEBYAR. SHE WAS FINE. BUT, THE RESIDUAL CHARGE WAS STILL ENOUGH TO LEAD TO SOME HAIR STICKING UP. AND SHE HAD NOTICED THIS EVEN BEFORE THE LIGHTNING STRUCK. IT'S SOMETHING TO WATCH FOR. IF YOU HAPPEN TO NOTICE YOUR HAIR STICKING UP ON YOUR ARMS, YOUR HEAD... THAT A'S GOOD SIGN THAT LIGHTNING'S ABOUT THE STRIKE IN YOUR VICINITY. AND IN THAT SITUATION, REALLY FOLKS, WHAT YOU WT AN TO DO IS EITHER GET INSIDE, IMMEDIATELY. AND IF YOU CAN'T GET INSIDE WITHIA N FEW SECONDS, I MEAN A FEW SECONDS, YOU HAVE TO CROUCH DOWN WITH THBO FEET TUCKED TOGETHER, GET AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.... AND WAIT FOR THE LIGHTNING TO STRIK E. BUT, AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING HONERE? WHY DOES THIS HAPPENED? WHY DOES YR OU HAIR STICK UP? WELL IT'S BECAUSE THAT CHARGE BUILDS UP. AND, IN A LOT OF CASES WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, YOU NEED A REALLY BIG CHARGE. AND, SO THAT COM ES FROM WHAT WE CALL A POSITIVE LIGHTNING STRIKE. AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT THAT STRONG B UT CHARGE, OFTENTIMES THE LIGHTNING IS COMING FROM MILES AWAY. SO, MANY OF THE STORMS STILL REALLY FAR OFF IN THE DISTANCE. YOU DON 'T THINK YOU'RE EVEN IN TROUBLE. WELL, WITH THESE POSITIVE LIGHTNING STRIKES, THAT'WHS AT SOMETIMES WILL CAUSE THAT HERE TO RAISE UP. BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO WAIT ON THAT. OBVIOUSLY IF YOU HEAR THUNDER, YOU WANT TO GET INSIDE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AS WE ALWAYS T