PEORIA, Ill (WMBD) — It is Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois from Feb. 28 — March 4.
Lightning forms when an updraft forces air to condense and form into ice. That ice collides with each other in the updraft and downdraft of the storm. Those collisions make charges.
Those charges separate from positive at the top of the anvil and negative at the base of the storm. The surface of the earth is usually full of positive charges. The transfer of energy between the charges leads to lightning.
Here are some tips to stay safe and information on how lightning forms:
- When thunder roars, get indoors
- Avoid being the tallest object in a field. Crouch to try to avoid being struck if going inside is not an option
- When traveling, get in a car and avoid contacting metal
