Is lightning attracted to rebar grid?

I posted this to Cecil but am awaiting response… anyone here care to take a shot at it too?

Question: The National Weather Service warns that leaning on a concrete wall or standing on steel reinforced concrete during a thunderstorm could be hazardous. Therefore, does a rebar reinforced concrete foundation INCREASE the risk of a lightning strike to a home? Case in point, house in question has rebar arrayed in a 1 foot square grid pattern within 12 inch thick concrete foundation walls. House was hit by lightning within 4 months of concrete foundation walls being poured under this 55 y/o house. Is there a correlation… or just ‘luck of the draw’?

Dunny

Possibly.

Consider that foundations are underground or close to it. Keep in mind I come from Arizona where basements are rare and house floor leves are typically only a few inches above grade. It adds no more risk of lightning strike than the well grounded water pipes coming into the house, probably marginally less.

A concrete wall is well above ground and may provide a shorter and more direct path to ground for a lightning strike, just a bit less obvious than shaking your golf club at G*d in a thunderstorm.