Lightning Risk

When you spend a lot of time outdoors during the summer, you often encounter thunderstorms. They are usually beautiful, not to mention cool and wet, and I generally welcome them. My supervisor, however, recently sent me a paper about the risk of lightning strikes. It took away some of my enjoyment.

Lightning generally strikes high terrain, like ridges and hilltops. These are places that I often work. Lightning can also strike areas that are not under the visible storm cloud, which means that I'm taking a risk when I continue working until the rain is on top of me. Lightning usually strikes the tallest objects on the ridge-tops, such as the big trees that I might be measuring.

Fortunately, my supervisor's report noted that there is safety indoors, and that motor vehicles are relatively safe, too. The thing to do is to head for the truck when you start to hear the thunder. Unfortunately, it is hard to finish your work when you're sitting in the truck. I guess somebody needs to invent internet forestry, so we can do it from the coffee shop.