Showering during a thunderstorm: Risky business or just a myth?
The truth may or may not shock you!
When thunder roars, go indoors… and for good reason! The worst place to be during a thunderstorm is outdoors because that’s where the lightning is. Each year, about 180 Canadians are injured by lightning, according to Environment Canada.
While sheltering indoors, it’s pretty safe to assume you can go about your regular business as you wait for the storm to pass… or is it?
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Environment Canada recommends you stay away from using plugged-in electronic devices and landline telephones during a thunderstorm, as a nearby lightning strike could send a jolt of electricity through the wires and electrocute you.
But what if you need to take a shower? Surely that’s okay to do, right? The plumbing pipes are all underground, after all.
Wrong.
Environment Canada recommends that you avoid using any running water during a thunderstorm.
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Just because pipes and plumbing are below ground doesn’t mean they are safe from lightning strikes.
The salts and minerals in soil can conduct electricity, especially when that soil is saturated with water. While there are factors that influence how well soil can conduct electricity, such as composition and porosity, it’s still a conductor.
That means if lightning strikes the ground near some piping, the immense electrical current can travel through the soil to the pipes. If water is running through those pipes at the time, the water can carry the electrical current to the nearest grounded object—which could be you, enjoying a peaceful shower in the comfort of your home.
Essentially, just because the plumbing is in the ground doesn’t always mean it’s grounded—especially when it comes to an electrical current as powerful as lightning.
Thumbnail image made by Anika Beaudry/The Weather Network with Canva.