Weather Tidbits: Pool Lightning Safety

We’ll be discussing lightning safety when around or near a pool in this edition of Weather Tidbits. We all know the age-old saying, “when thunder roars, go indoors.” This is true, and especially when around pools. Non-distilled water is actually a bad conductor of electricity and a very good insulator. However, water tieh salt and chemicals, like a pool, for example, contain opposite charges which can attract lightning. And when lightning strikes that water, that electricity can spread all through the water and any wet surfaces. Per common guidelines, you want to exit the pool immediately when you see lightning or hear thunder. If you hear thunder, that means you are close enough to get struck. Wait 30 minutes until the last lightning flash or rumble of thunder before re-entering the pool.