NOLS Backcountry Lightning Safety Guidelines

John Gookin,, NOLS Curriculum Manager

This paper discusses the phenomenon of lightning as it typically happens; how to seek relative safety when caught in a backcountry lightning storm; typical
lightning injuries; some tips on teaching lightning risk management in the backcountry; an overview of first aid, and incident reporting guidelines. It can not
be emphasized enough, that being outdoors exposes us to random lightning hazard, no matter what actions we take.

How Does Lightning Strike?

Lightning strikes fast: the whole process usually takes a few
milliseconds. Stepped leaders leave a cumulonimbus cloud and
some leaders move toward the ground. They appear as many
branches, but only 1-2 branches will reach the ground.
Approximately every 50 meters1 a new step leaves each leader
and heads in a fairly random direction. If a leader gets 100m
from the ground, positively charged streamers start rising from
the closest grounded objects towards the negatively charged
leader. As soon as the leader is close enough to a streamer2, it
shoots directly to that streamer and blazes a trail for a
significant charge (a return stroke) to shoot from the ground to
the cloud 3. This leader search distance concept is important to
understand to avoid direct strikes.

features like mountain tops. Lightning tends to hit tall trees in

open areas, with objects twice as high receiving roughly 4X the
strikes4. Lightning tends to hit bushes in the desert if the bush is
sticking up higher than the flat ground around it. Lightning
tends to hit a boat on the water, especially if it has a tall mast.
Lightning can still hit flat ground or water, but more randomly
than it hits elevated objects.
Even a few less feet of height can make a difference in
improving your odds of NOT being the struck object. This is
why the first part of getting into the lightning position is
lowering yourself down to decrease your height.
Lightning tends to hit long electrical conductors. Metal fences,
power lines, phone lines, handrails, measuring tapes, bridges
and other long metallic objects can concentrate currents. Wet
ropes also conduct current and should be treated with the same
respect as wires. Longer objects tend to concentrate more
current and reach more strike points.

How Can Lightning Hurt Us?

Lightning throws an ensemble of deadly and injurious threats
our way. All of these effects happen in the same few
milliseconds, but none of the threats linger after each strike.

Illustrations by Rob MacLean

Figure 1 Left: a stepped leader moves down in 50 m steps and
multiple streamers rise from tall objects near the leader.
Right: a single return stroke from a tree is the most obvious part we
see.
Note the leader connected with the streamer that happened to be
closest to it during the final step.

Most ground strikes occur immediately below a cumulonimbus

cloud. Rarely, a bolt of lightning can move horizontally and
strike somewhere out of the blue (out of the blue sky) as far
as 10 miles (16km) away. These horizontal strikes are rare and
unpredictable, so they shouldnt affect our decisions.
Using the 50 m search distance of stepped leaders (see above)
lightning tends to hit the closest object within range at the end
of the last step. Lightning tends to hit elevated sharp terrain
1

Direct strike : this means the stepped leader connected with a

streamer coming out of your body, then the return stroke passed
through you or over your body's surface. The return stroke is
the most significant electrical event of a lightning strike and
has a typical current of 30,000 amps5 (household current is 15
amps). You greatly reduce the chances of receiving a direct
strike by being inside a substantial building or a metal-topped
vehicle. In the backcountry you should avoid high places and
open ground and assume the lightning position6 to decrease
risk.
Streamer Currents: fast high current pulses are launched from
the tops of many elevated objects near each leader as it
approaches the ground (see Fig.1.) These are launched in
response to the tremendously high electric field that exists,
momentarily under each tip of the stepped leader. Since the tips
of several or many leaders may approach the ground at about
the same time, you do not have to be very near the actual
ground strike point to be involved in a streamer current.
Streamer currents, while much smaller than the return stroke
current, are still large enough to cause injury or death to
humans. You suppress the tendency to launch streamer currents
from your person by crouching into a tight ball as close to the
ground as possible. You avoid this possibility by avoiding high
locations.

Yards and meters can be used interchangeably. One meter = 1.1 yards. 4 Towers, Lightning & Human Affairs." LG Byerley 3rd, WA Brooks,
This "strike distance" can vary by 10X according to Uman in The
RC Noggle & KL Cummins. 11th Intl Conf on Atmospheric Electricity.
Lightning Discharge, 1987.
1999.
3
5
Return strokes of the opposite polarity tend to occur at the end of
Figures vary from 1-200kA, with most strikes in the 10-50kA range.
6
storms and under collapsed anvils. In some areas, multiple ground
This has formerly been called the lightning safety position and is
strike points in the same flash are common.
explained later in this paper.
2

Ground Currents: ground currents occur with each strike and

cause roughly half of all lightning injuries. Ground currents are
driven by the enormous potential differences7 that appear in the
Earth near the ground strike point. Typical lightning-to-ground
strikes inject roughly 30,000 amps into the Earth: since the
Earth resists electrical flow, large potential differences will
appear in the ground all around the strike point. How far the
current flows varies wildly since strike current and ground
conductance easily vary by orders of magnitude. But the closer
you are to the direct strike, the stronger the ground current. If
you are standing with your legs separated, if you are on all
fours, if you are in a prone position on the ground, or if you are
touching a long metallic object, you maximize your exposure to
potential differences that arise from ground currents. The
potential difference that appears between your legs or across
your prone body can drive significant currents through and over
your body. You can minimize your exposure to ground
potential differences and ground currents by: keeping your feet
close together, by NOT getting in a prone position, by
assuming the lightning position on additional insulation such as
a foam pad, and by not removing your shoes with thick rubber
soles. These actions can help minimize the amount of ground
current going through your body, but some experts think these
efforts are moot compared to getting to a safer location. We
need to be careful that we dont give students a false sense of
security by getting in this defensive position.

Radiation: the visible, infrared and ultraviolet radiation near

the strike point can damage your vision.
Sound: the thunder pulse can damage hearing temporarily and
possibly permanently.
Electrostatic Field Changes: there is a large change in the
electrostatic field out to 30m from the ground strike point. If
you are standing, then you maximize the voltage across your
body, which in turn maximizes currents that pass through and
over your body. It takes very little current to interrupt heart
function. Minimizing your height by assuming the lightning
position is one way to minimize the field change across the
length of your body.
Corona: During any stage of a thunderstorm, the electrostatic
field can be enhanced enough around grounded objects to cause
brush or point discharge (corona). At night, you may be able to
see corona as a faint glow from sharp rock outcrops or the tops
of bushes or trees sometimes even from the fingers of your
outstretched hand. You may hear corona as a sizzling or
buzzing sound. Even if you can't see or hear corona, you might
smell ozone, one of the chemical products of point discharge in
air. Ozone has an irritating, acrid "swimming pool" smell.
On land it is unusual to have optimum conditions for sensing
corona. If you feel hairs on your head, leg or arms tingling and
standing on end, you are in an extremely high electric field. If
you or any member of your group experiences any of these
signs, it should be taken as an indication of immediate and
severe danger. The response to any of these signs should be to
instantly (seconds matter) drop and move away from all packs,
remove metal shoe fittings, spread out, and adopt the lightning
position. Do not ignore these signs and do not try to run to
safety, unless safety is literally seconds away. If any of these
signs are detected, the probability of a close discharge is high
and every effort should be made to minimize injuries and the
number of injured.

How Can We Reduce Lightning Risk In The

Backcountry?
Backcountry lightning safety data is sparse, so these
suggestions are best hunches by experts who study lightning
safety. Random circumstance is a significant factor in where
Figure 2: Left: tree with a streamer and a stepped leader.
lightning might strike, meaning that these behaviors help
Right: tree with return stroke, surface arcs, and electrostatic field.
reduce your "Las Vegas" odds of lightning injury, but can
Surface Arcs: high current surface arcs appear to be associated never make you safe. If you need to stay safe, you need to
with some fraction of all cloud-to-ground discharges, during remain indoors in well protected buildings.
the return stroke. They appear in photographs as bright arcs of
light radiating from a strike point like spokes of a wheel, in the There are things you can do to reduce risk during a
air just above the grounds surface. (See figure 2.) These long thunderstorm, but you can never get as safe as you could be in
hot horizontal currents have been measured up to 20 meters in town. Ron Holle of the National Severe Storm Lab uses a 10length and may get longer. If you are in the path of a surface scale for lightning safety. (Going into a modern building and
arc you are likely to conduct some of the surface arc current avoiding metal is as safe as it gets at 10, being in a hard-topped
through or over your body. Since surface arcs emanate from the car is a 5, sitting on a steel tower on a mountaintop is a 0.) Ron
base of trees struck by lightning, never seek shelter near a thinks backcountry precautions only move you up .1 on this
scale. Other scientists say they think these precautions move
tree.
you up 4 points on Ron's 10-scale. Some risk reduction factors,
like taking off a metallic belt buckle, might reduce burns but
have little to do with avoiding becoming a fatality from a direct
strike or ground currents. But there are five actions that can
7
Potential difference: if your feet are touching the ground in two
reduce your risk, in order:
different spots, each has a certain electrical potential based on the
time visits to high risk areas with weather
current flowing there. But it is the difference between these potentials
patterns
that will drive current in one foot and out the other.

 find safer terrain if you hear thunder

avoid trees
avoid long conductors
get in the lightning position.
Timing activities with safe weather requires knowledge of
typical and recent local weather patterns. There is no such thing
as a surprise storm. You need to set turnaround times that will
get you off of exposed terrain before storms hit. You need to
observe the changing weather and discuss its status with your
group. Logistical problems en route should alter whether you
complete the paddle or the climb, not whether you get exposed
during a storm.

the highest objects around tend to generate streamers. Your

best bet is to look for an obvious ravine or depression before
the storm hits, but when the cloud is over you, spread out your
group at 50 intervals to reduce multiple injuries and assume
the lightning position.
Naturally wet ground, like damp ground next to a stream,
isnt any more dangerous than dry ground, so dont worry
about this. It used to be said that wet ground was more
dangerous, because it conducted more ground current, but wet
ground actually dissipates ground current faster. Neither wet
nor dry is considered more dangerous than the other. Standing
in water should be avoided.

Dry snow is an insulator, but wet snow is a conductor. This

Begin your turnaround if you hear thunder (which means
should make travel on dry snow safer than on bare ground,
lightning is one to ten miles away.) In calm air you can hear
because it will be harder for a person to generate streamers or
thunder for about ten miles. In turbulent air you can hear the
conduct ground current.
8
thunder for about five miles . In a driving storm you may only
hear it out to one mile. Some parties in rain storms have been
struck before they heard any thunder at all.
Safer terrain in the backcountry can decrease your chances of
being struck. High pointed terrain attracts lightning to the high
points, and even to the terrain around it. Avoid peaks, ridges,
and significantly higher ground during an electrical storm. If
you have a choice, descend a mountain on the side that has no
clouds over it, since strikes will be rare on that side until the
clouds move over it. Once you get down to low rolling terrain,
strikes are so random you shouldnt worry about terrain as
much. If you are exposed to lightning, you need to get in the
lightning position as soon as possible, which obviously means
you stop moving to safer terrain at that point. Many people
have died while upright and walking to safer terrain, but no one
has died while stopped in the lightning position. Move to safer
terrain as soon as you hear thunder, not when the storm is upon
you.
Tents may actually increase the likelihood of lightning hitting
that spot if they are higher than nearby objects. Metal tent poles
conduct ground current and may generate streamers. Use your
understanding of terrain and lightning to select tent sites that
may reduce your chances of being struck or affected by ground
current. If you are in a tent in "safer terrain" and you hear
thunder, you at least need to be in the lightning position. But if
your tent is in an exposed location, such as on a ridge, in a
broad open area, or near a tall tree, you need to get out of the
tent and get into the lightning position before the storm starts,
and stay out until it has passed. It would be wise to anticipate
additional hazards of getting out of tents in the dark of night
during a storm. Determine a meeting spot, have rain gear and
flashlights accessible, and have a plan for managing the group
during this time.

Figure 3: terrain with streamers and a stepped leader.

Where do you think the strike will occur?

Avoid cave entrances. Small overhangs can allow arcs to cross

the gap. Natural caves that go well into the ground can be
struck, either via the entrance or through the ground: cavers
should avoid being inside a cave, near an entrance, during a
thunderstorm9. You should never be anywhere near any metal
handrail, wire or cable during a storm. People who have been
shocked standing in water deep inside caves cite weak charges,
indicating that deep within a cave is safer than being on the
surface. If you are near an entrance during electrical activity,
don't stand in water, avoid metal conductors, and avoid
bridging the gap between ceiling and floor. Move quickly
through the entrance (in or out) to minimize the time of your
exposure. If you are stopped waiting for others near an entrance
area, assume the lightning position.

Boaters should start to get off of the water as soon as they hear
thunder. There are no reported incidents of lightning accidents
on rivers in canyons, probably because the higher terrain above
the canyon attracts the leaders. But there is ample lightning
injury data for boaters on rivers in flat terrain, on lakes, and on
the ocean. When you get to shore, look for protective terrain to
Wide open ground offers high exposure during an electrical wait out the storm. Be especially cautious of trees at the edge of
storm. Avoid trees and bushes that raise above the others, since the water because they might be the tallest objects around the
body of water. Boats that can't get off the water in lightningIn gently rolling hills the lower flat areas are probably not
safer than the higher flat areas because none of the gentle
terrain attracts leaders. Strikes are random in this terrain. Look
for a dry ravine or other significant depression to reduce risk.

8
Use the 5 sec/ mile (3sec/km) flash-bang rule to measure the distance
in ideal conditions, but this can distract people from the big picture.

This is anecdotal data from Cavers Digest.

While the prone position is lower, being spread out

increases potential for ground current to flow through or
across you. Keep your feet together so you dont create
potential for current to flow in one foot and out the other.
If you have any insulated objects handy, like a foam pad
or a soft pack full of clothes, sit on them. Avoid
backpacks with frames since the frame may concentrate
current. Dont touch metallic objects like ice axes,
crampons, tent poles or even jewelry. You wont get a
warning that a strike is imminent because the lightning
event from cloud to ground and back occurs faster than
you can blink an eye, so stay in the lightning position
until the storm passes. The lightning position reduces the
chances of lightning injuring you as badly as if you were
standing, but is no substitute for getting to safer terrain or
structure if it is immediately available. A dangerously
close strike actually offers a moment of opportunity to
move, while the electrical field rebuilds itself. But in wide
open country or gentle rolling terrain there are no simple
terrain advantages, so use this position to reduce
exposure. If you are concerned enough to assume the
lightning position, you should have your group dispersed
at least 50 apart to reduce the chances of multiple
injuries.

prone areas should have lightning protection: see this website

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs/as04800.html
Avoid trees because they are taller than their surroundings.
Tall trees are especially adept at generating streamers that
attract strikes. If you need to move through a forest while
seeking safer terrain, stay away from the tree trunks as you
move. You should also avoid open areas that are 100 m wide or
wider. Lone trees are especially dangerous: the laws of
probability say you are hundreds of times safer in a forest with
hundreds of trees than you are near a lone tree in an open
space.

Cone of protection from trees and cliffs is an arguable

concept and has no place in lightning safety education
anymore. Lightning has been photographed striking 100 m
from 200 m towers, and surface arcs have been photographed
exactly where cones of protection inferred we were all safe.
Instead we need to teach the 50 m leader search distance
concept (see the first paragraph of this paper.) If someone is
within 50 m of a significantly higher object, they have a greatly
reduced chance of being struck directly. You can still be struck,
especially indirectly, but the chances are reduced. The 50 m
concept works best with cliffs and other steep terrain that
provide protection without directing the strike toward you. The
50 m concept does not work well for trees because the base of Ground current may spontaneously trigger your leg muscles to
the tree may send out surface arcs. (see figure 2)
jump while in the lightning position, so take care to avoid being
Avoid long conductors. Lightning currents tend to pass in long near hazards when you drop into this position.
electrical conductors particularly ones that are on or near the
surface of the Earth. Metal fences, power lines, phone lines,
railway tracks, handrails, measuring tapes, bridges, and other
metal objects can carry significant lightning current even if
these objects are at some distance from the lightning ground
strike point. Near the ground strike point of a lightning
discharge, wet ropes can conduct lethal currents. During a
thunderstorm, wet, extended ropes should be regarded as
equivalent in risk and danger to metal wires.
Assume the lightning position 10 when at risk. This will reduce
the chances of getting a direct strike and it may reduce the
other effects of lightning, but it offers no guarantees. Some
scientists argue that it only moves you up to 0.1 on the 10scale; others argue that it is much more valuable because the
data says that no one in this position has ever been hurt. This
position includes squatting (or sitting) and balling up so you are
as low as possible without getting prone. Wrap your arms
around your legs, both to offer a safer path than your torso for
electrons to flow from the ground, and to add enough comfort
that you will choose to hold the position longer. Close your
eyes.

Figure 4: The lightning position:

squat or sit, ball up, put feet together, wrap arms around legs.

Anecdotal injury data shows that persons with metal cleats on

their shoes are more prone to injury. So take crampons off
while in the lightning position. But if taking crampons off will
slow your descent from a hazardous spot, leave them on to
reach safer terrain faster, since terrain is a much better protector
than the lightning position is.

The Effects Of Lightning Strikes On Humans

There are three ways lightning hurts us:
1. Electrical shock
2. Secondary heat production
3. Explosive force11.
Neuro-electrical Damage: Current through the torso or brain
can stop the heart or stop breathing. Hearts often restart
themselves quickly, but it can take the breathing control center
longer to recover. Cardiac or respiratory arrest that isn't
restarted quickly will eventually cause anaerobic conditions
that make recovery problematic. Current through the tissues
can also lead to numbness, paralysis or other nervous system
dysfunction.
Burns: Lightning victims can get burned from the high current
electricity that turns into heat in conductors that resist its flow.
Strike victims can get linear burns from head to feet along the
skin, punctate (spotted) burns, or feathering skin marks (not
really burns) from the charge flowing over their skin. They can
get secondary burns from metallic objects like belt buckles and
jewelry that heat up from the current. Burns can also occur
from lightning-ignited clothing.

11
10

We used to call this the lightning SAFETY position, but this name
easily allows the illusion of safety.

Cooper, Mary Ann, MD. Ch 7: Lightning Injuries. In Paul Auerbach

MD's Wilderness Medicine: Management Of Wilderness And
Environmental Emergencies, 3rd ed. 1995.

Large entry and exit burn wounds from lightning strikes are
rare. Most victims have a flashover effect (current travels over
their skin) that saves them from the more severe wounds: these
people can get linear or punctate burns or feathering patterns.
But flashover can also travel into orifices, which may explain
the many ear and eye problems that result from lightning
strikes.

safety in buildings or vehicles14. Once inside, we need to avoid

pipes, wires and other metallic objects that could conduct a
strike. If you aren't sure whether to "do the drill," err on the
side of caution for the sake of having your students practice the
routine. Just like CPR, emergency actions are best learned in
the kinesthetic mode rather than an intellectual one, so they will
be more memorable in times of stress.

Wet people may carry more current over their skin, instead of
through their bodies, reducing their injuries. It is not suggested
that you intentionally get wet in case you are struck, but it does
mean you shouldnt be scared that being wet will increase the
risk for you.

2) We can easily teach non-wilderness lightning safety

techniques during a wilderness program, since the intown
choices are so simple and so effective. Getting in a modern
building or inside a car during an electrical storm are the only
reasonable options when they are available. Indeed, we can use
the relative ease of good choices while in town, and the
comparatively high risk of backcountry options, to help our
backcountry students default on the side of conservatism when
it comes to getting up peaks by noon, getting off the water,
choosing safe campsites and generally avoiding exposed terrain
when storms threaten us.

Trauma: The explosive force of lightning can result in direct

or indirect trauma resulting in fractures or soft tissue injuries.
Watch for explosive injuries at the feet. The high current can
also trigger significant muscle spasms that can fracture bones.

Psychological Effects: Electrical injury can injure the brain.

Immediate problems may include altered consciousness,
confusion, disorientation or amnesia. Long term problems may Record Keeping For Lightning Incidents
include anything from headaches and distractibility to Normal near-miss forms need to be completed quickly to
persistent psychiatric disorders and dementia12.
accurately document any near miss. Near misses are used to
inform others what hazards to be careful of, and to help predict
2000 The National Outdoor Leadership School
accident types. Any lightning incident also needs a record of
Noncommercial duplication is welcomed.
actions taken to avoid the hazard before the incident, weather
Please send feedback to:
observations, and thunder and lightning observations before the
NOLS Curriculum 288 W. Main St. Lander, WY
82520 [email protected] 307.335.2264
incident. You should sketch who was where relative to
surrounding terrain and vegetation, with estimated distances,
heights and elevations, a North arrow, and at least one
First Aid For Lightning Victims
definitive landmark. If you have time for a detailed sketch,
Medical aspects of lightning injury are covered in "NOLS Field measure using paces that you can convert to meters later. Be
Medical And Drug Protocols 2000" and in Ch 4 of the NOLS sure to record people who were and were not injured by the
Wilderness First Aid13 text 3rd ed. The following overview does strike. A precise record of the time15 and location of the ground
not supercede those documents.
strike may help lightning scientists give you some data about
16
All patients require a complete body survey and careful that actual strike .
evaluation for head, spinal, long bone, or cardiac injuries;
peripheral pulses and sensory and motor status should be
Thank you to Mary Ann Cooper MD, Ron Holle, Martin
assessed. Check the skin for small hidden burns. The patient in
Uman and others for their tremendous contributions to the
cardiopulmonary arrest may require prolonged CPR, especially
field and to this collection of information. Lightning
respiratory support if spontaneous pulse and blood pressure
scientists do not all agree on these adaptations of their
return. Unlike normal triage protocols, first attention and
careful scientific studies. Any misrepresentation or
resources should be directed to those who appear dead and
maladaptation of their material is my fault, not theirs. JTG
those requiring immediate support of airway and breathing.
Any patient who has shown any signs and symptoms of
lightning injury should be evacuated for further evaluation and
treatment.

Teaching Lightning Risk Management

Teaching backcountry lightning safety has the risk that our
students will defer to these techniques when civilization offers
significantly better options. There are two things we can do to
mitigate this possibility.
1) When we are in town, if lightning hazards present
themselves, it is important that we model the reaction to seek
14
12

"Behavioral Consequences of Lightning and Electrical Injury".

Margaret Primeau, Ph.D., Gerolf H. Engelstatter, Ph.D. and Kimberly
K Bares, M.S. Seminars in Neurology, V15, N3, Sept 1995.
13
Schimelpfenig & Lindsey, NOLS Wilderness First Aid, 3rd ed,
Stackpole, 2000.

See http://www.uic.edu/~macooper/faq1.htm for recommendations of

the Lightning Safety Group.
15
Check watches to the nearest second, then calibrate them with an
atomic clock, available at any Radio Shack.
16
The National Lightning Data System records most strikes in the
continental US. Buy data at www.lightningstorm.com