With weather being a strong interest in human beings for thousands of years, we have learned more and more about the science of weather and how certain weather events work and form.
In that time period, myths about the weather began to appear all the way to today's world where there are a number of myths about the weather that you may believe yourself. Some have to do with tornadoes, lightning, and flooding, but all of these myths can be debunked through history and science. So today, let's dive into some of the most popular weather myths out there.
Myth #1:
Lightning never strikes the same place twice
This is a VERY popular myth that a lot of people actually do believe, so don't feel bad if you do believe this after I tell you that it isn't true. Lightning can (and does) strike the same place more than once all the time, especially if that object that is struck is tall, isolated, and pointed. For example, the Empire State Building.
The Empire State Building in New York City is one of the tallest buildings in Manhattan and is struck between 25 and 100 times a year, sometimes even more!
This doesn't just happen with buildings either. We at the WDRB Weather Team talk about lightning safety often and for good reason. Even though your chance of getting struck by lightning are about 1 in 15,300 according to the NWS, there have been multiple cases around the world of people being struck by lightning back to back times and miraculously surviving.
Myth #2
Rivers, hills, mountains, and lakes can protect you from tornadoes
This is a very popular myth across the United States that a tornado cannot cross a river, or a lake, and does not occur in the mountains or hills. The fact is, this is just simply not true. Tornadoes can occur anywhere conditions are favorable for them.
Tornadoes have crossed rivers and other bodies of water multiple times and have even occurred here in our area!
Courtesy: NWS
This map shows the tornado climatology of Jefferson County dating way back since records of such began. There are multiple examples locally and on this map alone that show that tornadoes have crossed the Ohio River. For example, back on March 18th, 1925 an F4 tornado crossed the Ohio River and was on the ground for 18 miles before tearing through what is now PRP and over Iroquois Park. On February 28th, 2011 an EF-1 tornado crossed the Ohio River from Clarke Co into Jefferson Co and Harrods Creek.
When it comes to tornadoes crossing over hills and mountains, it is not as common, but it still does happen. Tornadoes have been documented in the Rocky and Appalachian mountains. Even more recently this past Spring in Birmingham, AL, which has mountain ranges running through it, saw multiple strong tornadoes go through them.
Here is a couple maps showing tornadoes that have gone through the Rocky and Appalachian mountains.
Map by Kathryn Prociv. Tornado data: SPC, elevation data: USGS
While tornadoes high up in the mountains are less likely, they still do occur.
Myth #3
Every second between a lightning strike and the thunder equals how many miles away the strike occurred.
This one is very common and something that we often learn as children and something that we all learn a little differently. So this myth isn't necessarily wrong, but what each second means is constantly up for debate.
Per the National Weather Service:
"Since you see lightning immediately and it takes the sound of thunder about 5 seconds to travel a mile, you can calculate the distance between you and the lightning. If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you'll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close."
This is official calculation from the NWS, but keep in mind that you should always still be in a safe place when doing this and not outdoors where lightning can strike because as we learned earlier in the blog, lightning can strike more than one place twice.
Image: NWS Glenn Research Center
Myth #4
You shouldn't take a shower during a thunderstorm
Yet another popular myth and old wives tale states that you shouldn't take a shower during a thunderstorm because of the lightning. According to the National Weather Service when it comes to lightning safety, you should in fact avoid taking a shower or washing your hands during a thunderstorm. The NWS says to avoid plumbing because "metal plumbing and the water inside are both very good conductors of electricity. Therefore, do not wash your hands or dishes, take a shower or bath, do laundry, etc. during a thunderstorm.
Myth #5
Open the windows in your house when a tornado is coming
Although this is a popular belief, this is a bad bad bad idea. Opening your windows during a tornado will in fact not help you. Opening your windows allows for the strong tornadic winds to enter your structure. This allows more force against the walls and ceiling of your home increasing the likely hood of the home failing. Think of it as blowing up a balloon to the point of popping.
Think of it this way as well; for the amount of time you spend opening all of the windows in your house, you are also wasting precious time to get to a tornado safe place and seek further shelter within your home. The power of a tornado can blow through windows opened or closed.
Image: NWS-Springfield, MO
Myth #6
I can drive safely through floodwaters
No. Simply put. This is a mistake that thousands of people make every single year when it comes to Flash Flooding and why you will often hear the WDRB Weather Team saying "Turn around, don't drown."
When a large amount of rain falls over a short period of time, ditches, rivers and lakes become filled with water and overflow into low-lying or poorly drained areas.
Here are a couple important facts from the NWS.
- Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling.
- A foot of water will float many vehicles.
- Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) and pick-ups.
The national 30-year average for flood deaths is around 127 people per year. National Weather Service data also indicates that nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are vehicle-related. The majority of victims are males, and flood deaths affect all age groups. Don't end up being a statistic, turn around, don't drown.
Image: NWS-Jackson, KY
Myth #7
Highway and interstate overpasses are safe shelters against a tornado.
This is another tornado related myth that needs to be debunked for everyone. Highway and interstate overpasses are not safe shelters when it comes to finding a safe place to go during a tornado. In fact, overpasses can concentrate the tornado winds, causing them to be a lot stronger. This places the people under them in an even more dangerous situation. In recent years, several people seeking shelter beneath overpasses have been killed or severely injured. Being above ground level during a tornado is dangerous.
Image: NOAA
Extra
Heat lightning
This is one of the most popular weather myths out there and one that meteorologists always are eager to tell the general public about. However, if you want the answer to this one, make sure you take a look at our blog posting tomorrow as Hannah Strong will be tackling what exactly heat lightning is (or isn't).
