Do this now!

A new danger warning for lots of lightning strikes has now been issued in parts of central Norway.

The hazard warning applies from Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening, particularly areas in the southern parts of Trondelag that will feel the thunderstorm.

Thus, it may be wise to take precautions before it breaks down.

Here clicks: lightning map from met.no

numbers from Finance Norway It shows that in 2022 lightning damage was reported at NOK 66 million. However, this is well below the peak year of 2014, where the amount ended at NOK 630 million (KPI-adjusted).

Earlier this week, Naf encouraged people to stop charging their electric cars when the weather is bad.

A direct lightning strike can damage charging equipment or a vehicle’s electronic systems. Modern homes and electric vehicle chargers are equipped with surge protectors, which provide some protection against such incidents.

– If your charging point is installed correctly, there should be surge protection. However, it’s a good idea to unplug the car from the charger during a thunderstorm, senior communications consultant Neil Sudall says in a press release.

Recommendations in case of lightning

Do not shower when there is lightning. When lightning strikes water, a current of several thousand amperes is distributed in the water. You should also not bathe in the bathtub – a lightning strike can follow the water pipes into the house.
The car is a safe place because the body will act as a “shield” against lightning. The house has partly the same effect; Concrete buildings are better than wooden houses.
Electrical appliances can be damaged without lightning striking directly at you, but strikes in the main power grid can create significant spikes and traces to your home’s power grid. Therefore, electrical appliances can be usefully unplugged, such as the TV. It is not dangerous to watch TV when lightning is present, but the electronics in the TV are at risk.
Choose a cell phone disconnected from the charger, rather than a landline if you must make a call. The surge in a lightning strike can follow electrical wires to the end of a pipe.
Do not seek shelter under large trees. There is a higher risk of lightning striking objects that stand out in the landscape. It helps to be wet, as water will cause a lightning bolt to track moisture outside instead of entering the body, minimizing damage.
Get off the open plains – and put out your golf club. A metal golf club runs a slightly higher risk of being struck by lightning.
Don’t use an umbrella. It has the same effect as a golf club.
Prevent surges from damaging electrical equipment by installing surge protection devices.
Unplug the electrical equipment that you are afraid of.
Unplug the internet cable as well. Modems are very susceptible to lightning strikes.
Mountain tour – what to do? Find shelter if possible, and move to low-lying areas. But it mostly has to do with luck or bad luck whether you get hit or not.
In a boat, what do you do? If you can hit the ground running, you do. If you are at sea, try to avoid going out. Do not hold the mast, and avoid hanging on the line. Lay in the boat or go down to the cabin. Mast boats can get caught in thunderstorms, but it is not known if having a lightning rod on top is a solution.