Storm Safety: What Actually Works and What's Myth

Storm safety gets tangled up in myths fast. Most of what people “know” came from a friend’s cousin’s story, or from outdated sources, or from advice that was never right in the first place.

Here are the actual, evidence-based things that keep you safe. And yes, rubber tires don’t help.

During a Thunderstorm: Shelter, Not Sequence

The first rule of lightning safety is simple: be inside a fully enclosed building with a roof. An enclosed building, period. Your car counts (with the windows up). A tent doesn’t. A picnic shelter doesn’t. A beach umbrella is actually counterproductive — it makes you the tallest thing around.

Once you’re inside a real structure, the lightning is very unlikely to affect you. A modern building has grounding that directs a lightning strike safely to the ground. A car’s metal frame does the same, and the rubber tires are almost irrelevant — the real protection comes from the metal body, which acts as a Faraday cage.

During the lightning storm itself: Stay inside. Don’t use corded phones (cell phones are fine). Don’t shower if lightning is actively striking (the water conducts electricity). Wait at least 30 minutes after the last lightning before going back outside.

The “count the seconds between lightning and thunder to estimate distance” trick is real, but only useful for deciding “should I go outside?” when the storm is far away. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to be a genuine risk, and you should already be inside.

During High Winds and Straight-Line Winds

High-wind storms (derecho-class events with 60+ mph winds) can cause damage comparable to weak tornadoes — snapped trees, flying debris, collapsed structures.

What works:

• Get to an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
• Close all windows and doors.
• Stay away from skylights, exterior walls, and large rooms with wide-span roofs (like garages) — wide roofs are more prone to collapse.
• If outside, move away from trees, power lines, and loose objects.

What doesn’t work:

• Opening windows to “equalize pressure” — this is a myth. Don’t do it.
• Duct tape on windows — it doesn’t hold against serious wind.
• Hiding in your garage if the roof is wide span — ironically one of the worst places.

During Hail

Hail ranges from pea-sized (annoying, usually harmless) to golf-ball-sized (can cause concussions, break car windows, penetrate roofs).

What works:

• Get inside immediately at the first sound or sight of hail.
• Move away from windows.
• If you’re driving and hail starts, pull over and wait. The risk of crashing while blinded by ice bouncing off your windshield is higher than the risk of hail damage to your car.
• Park under cover if possible (parking garage, shelter), but don’t drive recklessly to find one.

What doesn’t work:

• Blankets over your car (look silly, don’t work).
• Trying to outrun hail.
• Staying outside and hoping the stones miss you.

General Storm Decisions: Timing Matters

Before a storm arrives: If a watch is active and a storm could reach you, head to your shelter before heavy rain or lightning makes it unsafe to move. Don’t wait for a warning to act if you’re in the watch zone.

During a storm: Stay inside. If you’re at work, at a friend’s house, or at a public building when a storm hits, stay there until the storm passes. Driving in heavy rain, hail, or lightning is more dangerous than sheltering in place and arriving late.

Specific rule: Do not go outside to see the storm, take photos, or check on weather conditions while lightning is occurring. Every year, people get struck by lightning doing exactly this.

For Specific Situations

Driving: If a severe storm is ahead on your route, pull over under an overpass, bridge, or building overhang and wait. Do not drive through standing water (flash flooding is a real risk). Do not continue driving if you can’t see. Your estimated arrival time doesn’t matter more than not crashing or hydroplaning.

At the beach: If you see lightning anywhere on the horizon, get off the beach immediately. Saltwater is conductive and the beach is one of the most exposed places during a storm.

Boating: If a severe storm is coming and you’re on the water, head to shore or a protected harbor immediately. Waves, lightning, and sudden wind are all serious hazards on water. The window to act safely is often smaller than you think.

Camping: Tents provide no lightning protection. If a storm is coming and you’re camping, move to a substantial shelter (cabin, community building, car). If no shelter is available, move to low ground away from trees and tall objects, stay there until the storm passes, and accept that this is the trade-off for remote camping.

In a mobile home: Mobile homes are not safe during severe storms. A real severe-storm warning in your area should prompt evacuation to a substantial shelter if one is available. Tornadoes and high winds can lift mobile homes or penetrate their exterior.

What Actually Kills People in Storms

• Driving in heavy rain or standing water
• Being outside during lightning
• Being in a mobile home during high winds or tornadoes
• Ignoring evacuation orders
• Trying to “ride out” a flood

None of these involve myths or tricks. They’re decisions to stop, shelter, and wait instead of proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Storm safety is mostly about being inside, staying put, and not driving unnecessarily. Everything else — the myths about rubber tires, opening windows, special shelter locations — is noise.

Make a plan, stay inside when storms arrive, and don’t drive through bad weather trying to maintain your schedule.

Want to know what storms are coming to your area? Check current storm alerts and radar for your location.

Build your foundation:

• A Severe Weather Preparedness Plan That Actually Works — create a shelter strategy and emergency kit before season hits
• Tornado Watch vs. Warning: The Two Words People Mix Up at the Worst Time — know the difference before a warning arrives
• Weather Alert Types Explained — understand watch, warning, advisory, and statement
• Understanding Weather Forecast Symbols — recognize storm icons before they arrive