Do you use electronics during a thunder & lightning storm?

[Marlfox]

I get a little anxious using the computer while it's booming and blinking outside. I've heard stories of lightning bolts bursting through the window because of electronic/static buildup. Then there's also the fear of your PC getting short circuited.

Do you dare go outside during a storm?

[Blank]

I don't use electronics in a storm, I'll just read, sleep, or enjoy it. And I only go outside during a storm if it's at night, can be extremely relaxing.

[Mossy Snake]

I don't use stuff that's plugged in, but I'm fine with phones and similar handheld devices

[Marlfox]

Originally posted by 「𝓛𝓜」:

I don't use electronics in a storm, I'll just read, sleep, or enjoy it. And I only go outside during a storm if it's at night, can be extremely relaxing.

There is times it can look peaceful, blinking in the distance. But the storms where I live are earthshaking, I don't go outside unless I must .

[Cassidy]

If I start seeing flashes of lightning, I'll shutdown and unplug my PC. Can't risk it.

I also avoid using my cellphone next to a window because I heard of people who got struck by lightning through their windows.

And I avoid using phone if I'm walking through a storm; not only because of the lightning but I don't want my phone to get wet.

[Arya]

Originally posted by Marlfox:

I get a little anxious using the computer while it's booming and blinking outside. I've heard stories of lightning bolts bursting through the window because of electronic/static buildup. Then there's also the fear of your PC getting short circuited.

Do you dare go outside during a storm?

Lightning follows the path of least resistance. It'll go for tall electrically conductive objects such as trees, it can't "burst through a window" and won't home-in on your electronics. It's extremely unlikely that you'll suffer a power surge, and even less likely that a power surge would damage your PC. Most PCs have automatic kill-switches to protect them in case of any electrical anomaly.

I would go outside in a storm and often do. Walking along a street is perfectly safe, you're only in danger if you're the easiest way for a lightning bolt to ground. IE standing on a golf course or on top of a bald hill.

[Violeta]

Of course I do.

[Blank]

Originally posted by Marlfox:

Originally posted by 「𝓛𝓜」:

I don't use electronics in a storm, I'll just read, sleep, or enjoy it. And I only go outside during a storm if it's at night, can be extremely relaxing.

There is times it can look peaceful, blinking in the distance. But the storms where I live are earthshaking, I don't go outside unless I must :lol_emily:.

Same here, the state I live in (according to CurrentResults) is one of the states that sees most thunderstorms, which is nice. Though I will wake up to a giant thunderstorm and sound reverberation.

[Marlfox]

Originally posted by Mr. Mister:

it's not the 1920s anymore, there are regulations in place that prevent power surges from destroying your tech... and killing you in the process.

Originally posted by Wolfey:

Originally posted by Marlfox:

I get a little anxious using the computer while it's booming and blinking outside. I've heard stories of lightning bolts bursting through the window because of electronic/static buildup. Then there's also the fear of your PC getting short circuited.

Do you dare go outside during a storm?

Lightning follows the path of least resistance. It'll go for tall electrically conductive objects, it can't "burst through a window" and won't home-in on your electronics. It's extremely unlikely that you'll suffer a power surge, and even less likely that a power surge would damage your PC. Most PCs have automatic kill-switches to protect them in case of any electrical anomaly.

I would go outside in a storm and often do. Walking along a street is perfectly safe, you're only in danger if you're the easiest way for a lightning bolt to ground. IE standing on a golf course or on top of a bald hill.

It's a little different where I live. Houses are very far apart and there is little other electronic interference. So I don't know about the exact science but I've seen lighting hit a pole by my house a few years ago. Not exactly comforting

[Arya]

Originally posted by Marlfox:

It's a little different where I live. Houses are very far apart and there is little other electronic interference. So I don't know about the exact science but I've seen lighting hit a pole by my house a few years ago. Not exactly comforting:exclamationmark:

There's very little science to it. Lightning follows the easiest path to the ground, therefore it will strike the tallest electrically conductive object. If there's a pole near your house, you're perfectly safe.

Having your house struck by lightning is nothing to worry about. That has actually happened to me once, when I was living in a rural area. It was incredibly loud but did no damage.

[Berkut]

Anything plugged into a wall, no
Phone? Yes

[shoopy]

If lighting did hit near you and somehow got through the wires, turning off your computer and even unplugging it wouldn't help you.

Remember this is electricity with enough power to arc thousands of feet through AIR without a wire. A couple millimeter gap triggered by a surge protector, or even a few feet of gap isn't going to save you if you're in the path of it.

It's actually lower power surges that you have to worry about due to parts of the grid being knocked out.

[Marlfox]

Anyways I still game (sometimes) and it definitely makes games more intense(Killing Floor 2, L4D2, etc). But as someone said above, this is the kind of storm that will wake you up with an enormous BOOM and you will instantly sweat and beat your heart out. Lol I just closed my window, maybe that will protect me more.

[Marlfox]

Originally posted by Wolfey:

Originally posted by Marlfox:

It's a little different where I live. Houses are very far apart and there is little other electronic interference. So I don't know about the exact science but I've seen lighting hit a pole by my house a few years ago. Not exactly comforting

There's very little science to it. Lightning follows the easiest path to the ground, therefore it will strike the tallest electrically conductive object. If there's a pole near your house, you're perfectly safe.

Having your house struck by lightning is nothing to worry about. That has actually happened to me once, when I was living in a rural area. It was incredibly loud but did no damage.

I'm sure you're right but people still get hit and die, whether in their house or outside. Nature is never fully in our control.

[Arya]

Originally posted by Marlfox:

Anyways I still game (sometimes) and it definitely makes games more intense(Killing Floor 2, L4D2, etc). But as someone said above, this is the kind of storm that will wake you up with an enormous BOOM and you will instantly sweat and beat your heart out. Lol I just closed my window, maybe that will protect me more.

Why fear a storm? Admittedly there are some types that can harm you(Tornados and Hurricanes), but electrical storms are harmless.

I grew up in the subtropics, we had thunderstorms every day of summer and regular hurricanes. Trust me when I say, your average thunderstorm is nothing to be afraid of. Even if you're caught outside.

[Cassidy]

Originally posted by Marlfox:

Originally posted by Wolfey:

There's very little science to it. Lightning follows the easiest path to the ground, therefore it will strike the tallest electrically conductive object. If there's a pole near your house, you're perfectly safe.

Having your house struck by lightning is nothing to worry about. That has actually happened to me once, when I was living in a rural area. It was incredibly loud but did no damage.

I'm sure you're right but people still get hit and die, whether in their house or outside. Nature is never fully in our control.

And also depending on how the house and its electrical grid was built... there was a family living in a house built into a hillside where the mother was struck by lightning that hit and surged through her computer. She survived. I remember reading that in a copy of Readers' Digest over 10 years ago so maybe their house was just really old.