By Roger White

Meteorologist warns of lightning dangers in Saskatchewan

Aug 4, 2017 | 8:00 AM

Whether you are soaking up the rays, enjoying a boat ride or a nice relaxing swim this weekend, you should always be aware of the weather conditions that could turn deadly. That’s the warning from John Paul Cragg of Environment Canada.

“It’s really important that people be aware of the weather conditions during the summer whether they at home or at the beach,” Cragg said. “The weather can change so quickly at this time of year without much advance notice.”

Cragg said locals should take special care on waterways. 

“Being at the lake or on the shore is not the place to be when lightning strikes,” Craig said. “Lightning does hit lakes and it does strike people in lakes so it is extremely dangerous.

“You’re a target in the water, as well as on the land, because lightning could hit a tree beside you or strike the ground close by and the ground current could injury or even kill you.” 

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Cragg said the rule of thumb at Environment Canada regarding thunderstorms is if you can hear thunder or see lightning you are at risk to be struck.

He also added thunderstorm lightning sometimes travels great distances from the actual storm itself, so it gives people a false sense of security that the storm is too far out to hurt them.

“One-third of lightning victims get struck before the thunderstorm hits,” Cragg explained. “As well one-third of the lightning struck victims get hit well after the storm has passed. You don’t have to have the storm right over you to become in a serious situation.”

There are hundreds of thousands of lightning strikes across Saskatchewan every year, according to the meteorologist, and many instances of people get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and end up getting struck.

“I think there is a general apathy or a sense of security that lightning won’t strike them,” Cragg said. “People should know that lightning kills and injures more Canadians than any other severe summer weather event every year.

“People are so afraid of tornados, but lightning is what you should really wary of.”

In 2013, a lightning strike killed 18 cattle at the Wielgosz family farm near Yellow Creek and in 2008 a 29-year-old man was struck and killed while helping his parents build a deck on their cottage at Metinota Beach just outside of North Battleford.

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW