25-03-2025
Severe Weather Awareness Week: Day 1
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — It's that time of the year again! Severe Weather Awareness week has begun in both Iowa and Nebraska.
From Monday through Friday, March 28, each day spotlights a different aspect of severe weather. The first day of Severe Weather Awareness week focuses on lighting safety.
According to the , lighting is hotter than the surface of the sun, reaching temperatures of around 50,000°F.
Each year, across the United States, lightning strikes around 25 million times. That's over 68,000 times per day! And in 2024, lightning strikes resulted in 12 fatalities.
So it's important to know what to do and how to stay safe around lightning.
First and foremost, the best place to be when lightning strikes is inside.
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You'll want to stay away from corded electrical equipment, such as computers, TVs or really anything plugged in or with an electric cord . For instance, you absolutely can still use your cell phone, BUT you don't want to have it plugged into a charging cord.
In addition, you should stay away from windows and avoid plumbing, like doing dishes or showering during a lightning storm.
You should also avoid balconies, porches, carports, and open garages, as these are not safe places when lightning strikes.
If you're caught outside in lightning, if possible, get inside. If you can't get to a safe place, avoid open fields and tall objects like trees or light poles.
And if you find yourself in a body of water during a storm, whether your swimming or boating, get out of the water immediately and to a safe place, if possible.
As a good rule of thumb, wait AT LEAST half an hour (30 minutes) AFTER the last bolt of lightning/rumble of thunder to head back outside and/or resume activities.
More lightning safety tips and information can be found on the National Weather Service Lightning Safety page .
The rest of the schedule for the 2025 Severe Weather Awareness Week is as follows:
Tuesday: Tornado Safety
Wednesday: Thunderstorms & Preparedness
Thursday: Hail & Wind Safety
Friday: Flood Safety
And for the latest weather any time in Siouxland, visit the .
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