Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
must be planned for. Special events such as concerts, fairs, carnivals, and other out-
door recreational and sports activities are especially vulnerable to lightning strikes
during thunderstorms. Thunderstorms do not have to be in the immediate area for
lightning to strike. Oftentimes, lightning strikes well away from the actual storm.
Lightning has also been witnessed in large forest fires, nuclear detonations, heavy
snowstorms, and volcanic eruptions.
Notable lightning strikes that have occurred worldwide include a strike on
November 2, 1994 in Dronka, Egypt. This strike hit an aviation fuel storage facil-
ity and ignited three of the eight 5000-gallon fuel tanks. The resulting explosion
sent blazing fuel into the village of Dronka, where a majority of the 469 fatalities
from this incident occurred. Airplanes are also vulnerable to lightning strikes. On
December 8, 1963, Pan Am Flight 214 crashed in Elkton, Maryland, after it was
struck by lightning while in a holding pattern. All 81 people on board were killed.
Modern protection systems now protect aircraft from lightning strikes.
Consequences of Lightning
Lightning strikes can cause severe damages in a localized setting. From time to time,
it is possible for lightning to trigger a secondary event. Such secondary events include
power outages, structure fires, wildfires, mass casualties, and infrastructure damage.
Preparation and Planning
Lightning strikes are localized events. Primary planning should involve monitor-
ing watches and warnings from the National Weather Service. Although lightning
watches and warnings are not specifically issued, they can be imbedded in the text
of severe weather watches and warnings. If thunderstorms are forecast, then light-
ning should be planned for.
Emergency managers can also coordinate with the organizers of outdoor events
to ensure that lightning detection equipment is available. In some cases, it may also
be possible to utilize equipment that will divert lightning away from populated
parts of the event, such as lightning rods. This equipment should
never
be a substi-
tute for good emergency planning. The equipment is only a tool to protect just in
case a storm rapidly approached. All special events should have a way to monitor
the weather and have a plan for delaying activities and evacuating attendees and
participants to a safe shelter.
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
Description and History
Each year, an average of 11 tropical storms develop over the Atlantic Ocean,
Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Many of these remain over the ocean and
