Lightning Safety

Summer thunderstorms build quickly over the peaks and desert edges of San Diego County, often in the early afternoon. On exposed granite — Cuyamaca, Laguna, Palomar, the county's high ridgelines — lightning is a genuine and underestimated hazard.

Plan around it

Start early, finish early. Most convective storms build after midday. Being off the summit and below treeline by noon removes most of the risk before it exists.

Watch the sky. Towering cumulus with a hard, cauliflower top is a storm forming. Do not wait for the first strike to start moving.

Know how close it is

Count the seconds between the flash and the thunder, then divide by five for the distance in miles.

If a storm catches you

Get off high ground. Descend from summits, ridgelines, and exposed slabs. Losing elevation is the single most effective thing you can do.

Get away from the tallest thing around — a lone tree, a rock spire, a lookout tower. Avoid caves and overhangs, where current arcs across the gap.

Avoid water and metal. Move away from lakes and streams. Set down trekking poles, ice axes, and pack frames, and step several yards from them.

Spread out. Keep your group 50 to 100 feet apart, so one strike cannot injure everybody at once.

Assume the lightning position. Crouch low on the balls of your feet, heels touching, head down, hands over your ears. Minimize your height and your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat — ground current is what injures most victims.

If you can reach a hard-topped vehicle or a substantial building, that is far better than any position in the open.

If someone is struck

A person who has been struck carries no charge. It is safe to touch them immediately.

Call 911 as soon as you can. Cardiac arrest is the primary cause of death from a lightning strike, and CPR is highly effective — begin immediately and continue. Check for burns at entry and exit points and treat for shock. Move the group to safer ground if the storm is still active.