Good Lifestyle

Hurricane Erin relies on a large part of the United States thunderstorm . Of course, you know that with time like this to stay out of the ocean, bring your outdoor furniture inside and roll up your car windows. But just because you hide inside that you are safe from a storm. In fact, experts say that the shower during a thunderstorm can have potentially fatal consequences.

In relation: 39 facts on the storms that will make you run for a blanket .

Experts warn not to shower during a thunderstorm.

At one time or another, you were probably warned not to take a shower during a storm. But if you supposed that it is only a tale of old women, you may want to rethink this.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warnings Americans that it is not Sure to take a shower or a bath during a thunderstorm.

The problem is not thunder or rain, but the lightning that accompanies it. For reference, lightning can occur without thunder, but not the other way around.

“Lightning is an electricity discharge. A single lightning race can heat the air around him at 30,000 ° C (54,000 ° F), ”explains the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). "This extreme heating means that the air expands quickly.

But why is the shower during a storm a risk of security? According to the CDC, everything comes down to the fact that lightning can reach you inside.

"Lightning can travel through plumbing," explains the agency.

Most plumbing systems use metal pipes, which can "serve as a duct for electric current , " Jeffrey A. Andresen , PHD, professor of geography, environment and space sciences of Michigan State University, explained to Health . If lightning strikes a water pipe or even nearby, electricity can be drawn through the pipe and potentially electrocute you if you shower.

The CDC does not advise to try your luck even if you do not have metal pipes for your plumbing: "The risk of lightning lightning could be less with plastic pipes than with metal pipes. However, it is preferable to avoid contact with plumbing and running water during a lightning storm to reduce your risk of being struck. ”

You shouldn't run water during a thunderstorm.

During a thunderstorm, it's not just the shower you need to worry. "It is better to avoid all the water during a thunderstorm. Do not shower, do not bathe, do not wash dishes or not wash your hands," urges the CDC.

As AccuWeather Explain, it is because if lightning strikes your house, it can also travel through electric wires that could be connected to your washing machine or your dishwasher. And, of course, if you wash the dishes by hand, it can also travel through these water pipes and reach you.

In relation: 9 dangerous things you should never do during a thunderstorm .

Being struck by lightning can be fatal.

The National Weather Service believes that lightning strikes About 300 people In the United States, each year, with around 80 people who die accordingly.

Deaths based on lightning "most often [occur] due to a heart attack," said the agency. "Other lightning injuries include blunt trauma, neurological syndromes which are generally temporary muscle lesions, ocular injuries (" cataract induced by lightning "), skin lesions and burns."

Your house and other closed buildings are considered a "safe shelter" during a storm, but it is not impossible to be hit by lightning while you are inside. The CDC says that "a third of thunderbolt injuries occur inside", and certain activities may increase this risk, such as taking a shower.