Is it possible for lightning to strike through a window type screen? I was sleeping in my hammock in the back yard, in a little screened in room, and I woke up to a thunderstorm right over my head. I was wondering if there was any chance that I would’ve gotten struck by lightning throught the screen?
A little window screen ain’t much protection when lighting has been known to even pass through glass. The books I’ve read all agree to adivse people to stay away from windows during storms, but it’s hard not to watch the show!
The odds of getting struck like that, I’d WAG, are low - especially when compared to more likely ways in which people have been struck- like on the golf course.
BTW, how did you manage to snooze so soundly through the storm? Didn’t you get wet? Didn’t the thunder wake you up?
- Jinx
I’m a heavy sleeper… I didn’t even get wet until I tried to go inside because the hammock in under this huge bushy tree… forgot what kinda. And yes, the thunder woke me up, but it was like one of those big cracking kind… I sleep through the low rumbling kind.
You wouldn’t need to take a direct hit. The screen shelter is one of the less-advisable places to be.
People are struck under canopies, tents and small buildings every year - some die, many are injured.
Even small bathroom houses on a golf course are often posted with signs stating that they might be MORE dangerous than standing outside. Yes, the signs warn that the small covers and shelter are MORE dangeous than being outside. Sometimes, they direct you to an actual lightening shelter.
A small structure needs to be built to be a haven in a lightening storm, because many are more dangerous than no “cover” at all.
I would think a small screen tent thingy has some sort of metal supports. You wouldn’t want to be surrounded by them.
It’s draped between two trees in my back yard, and pegged into the ground about 15’ to either side of the peak of the screen. It’s made of that thin netting stuff that they use around pools and stuff, and their is no metal anywhere to be seen in it. Total, it’s about 30’ wide, and about 50’ long (between the trees).
Does this change any of the odds for or against me?
Lightening is a bolt of high current plasma energy and this causes it to produce a large magnetic field around it.
This magnetic field causes electricity to be induced in nearby objects at a rate proportional to various factors, one biggie is its rate of change.
Lightening discharges extremely quickly and so the rate of change is high and can lead to large induced currents, if you happen to be nearby to a strike, within 20 feet is very close, within 50 feet is not good, then currents can be induced in the human body can stop the heart.
The human body is not a good medium for inducing current but it only takes a few tens of milliamps to stop your heart.
Possibly a greater risk from a nearby strike is the impact of the sound wave when the ligthening hits. Air is heated at an incredible rate by lightening and it has to go somewhere, so you often get a shockwave which will put your eardrums out.
The material that the screen is made from would probably make no differance either way, the greatest risk is from the trees being hit, the water in the sap expands explosively, this is not a good thing if you happen to be close.
You DO know that being under a tree is one of the worst places to be during a thunderstorm, right? The netting isn’t going to do anything to protect you.
Of course I know that. I was sleeping at the time though, so I didn’t know I needed to get inside.
Anyone got a cite for that?
I have read that standing close to trees is only dangerous if you’ve got several wet feet. The idea is that the current that enters the tree will dissipate into the ground, as from a point source. This means that the potential on the surface will decrease quickly with the distance from the trunk, and there will be a pretty high voltage betwen adjacent pieces of turf.
The reason we are told to avoid trees is that farmers used to see cows hiding under the trees (to get out of the rain) and when the lightning struck they would fry. The current would go in through the legs closest to the trees, and out further away. In order for this to happen you need several criteria:
[ul]
[li]a good conductive path from the ground to your feet (even those trainers would offer significant protection)[/li][li]big potential difference (far between the legs), which again is easier for bovines, as they generally have front legs more than a meter from the hind legs. (As long as you’re standing up, that is)[/li][li]and finally to die, you would need to have the heart along the conductive path. If you’re a cow, the heart is not that far of the shortest path between rear and front legs, but for a human standing up there are other things that would get hurt. (ouch).[/li][/ul]
To sum it all up: I think it’s a bad idea to hide under a tree if you’re a cow. Being human you probably stand a decent chance to survive, even though you may never procreate.
The reason that being stood near a tree is dangerous for humans is the possibility of explosive expansion of the fluids within it.This is quite powerful enough to blow the trunk apart, and wood is, generally speaking, quite hard when it hits you with force.
Add to that th chance that a branch will fall and may kill you, as happened not far from where I live(lightening was not involved, just the falling branch) and there is real reason not to be near a tree, which is more likely to draw lightening toward it that you are, it being considerably taller.
I lost a post that I was preparing in reply to tc, and I don’t have the time to recreate it now, so I’ll just summarize. (Note: a quick search on “lightning & trees” will provide many relevant links.)
It is primarily isolated and tall trees that are a danger. It is safer to seek shelter under bushes or short trees that are surrounded by tall trees than to be out in the open.
Even if the main strike goes through the tree, a “side flash” is still quite capable of killing you.
If anyone thinks your rubber soled shoes are going to “insulate” you, check out this pic
First of all, sorry to be picky, but it’s lightning, everybody.
OK, as has been said, the danger near a tree has much less to do with ground conductance than it does with the tree exploding or toppling over on you. With both your feet planted firmly on the ground, you have little to worry about from ground charge. The electricity is more likely to arc from the tree to you than it is to cause you harm through the ground. Keep your feet planted, and you might do alright.
BTW, that works for downed lines, as well. If you have a large ground charge, lifting a foot offers a new path with less resistance (through your body). The electricity will arc between the ground and your uplifted foot, which is not comfortable in the least.
I guess I’m saying that if you’re caught near a tree, make like one and leave. And shuffle your feet near downed lines. I’d explain how a car is a pretty good place to be during an electrical storm, but that’d probably expand into an entirely new thread.
Well, focusing on this question, I can’t imagine anyone telling you that lightning can’t strike through the type of screen you described.