When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors! Learn how to protect you and your loved ones during a thunderstorm. The weather forecast calls for a slight chance of thunderstorms, but you can only see a few fluffy white clouds overhead. So you and your tennis partner grab your racquets and balls and head for the tennis court. You spend a few minutes warming up and then—wait! Is that thunder you hear? Was that a lightning flash? What do you do? Keep playing until the thunder and lightning get closer? Go sit on the metal bench under the trees to see what happens? Or get in your car and drive home? Correct answer: If no substantial, non-concrete shelter is nearby, get in your car and wait out the storm. Why? Because being outside when lightning is present is not something to take lightly—ever. To learn more, visit CDC's National Center for Environmental Health's "Your Health -- Your Environment" blog.