Is it safe to take a shower or bath during an electrical storm? What is ball lightening?

Answer 1

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Although Humerous and direct to the poin the previous answers are. Here are the Official Statements regarding this question.

From the NSSL (National Severe Storms Labroratory) Lightning Safety Page

Utility lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity.

Do not use any electrical appliances (except those used for weather information) and unplug unnecessary ones.
Turn off air conditioners and computers to protect them from power surges.
Do not use a corded telephone except in an emergency.
Do not bathe or shower during a thunderstorm.
Avoid contact with anything that conducts electricity
Stay away from windows and doors.
Avoid contact with concrete walls or floors which may contain metal reinforcing bars; carports or open garages; covered patios; washing your hands or doing dishes.
No place is completely safe from lightning, but some places are safer than others. Although some victims are struck directly by the main lightning stroke, many victims are struck as the current moves in and along the ground.

From the NSSL FAQ Page

Is it possible to be struck by lightning while taking a shower?
Yes, because electricity can travel through water.

Other Lightning FAQ's and Safety Information
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/li…
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/lightnin…
http://newweb.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/Lightning…
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/0075…
http://www.ucar.edu/communications/infop…
http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream…
http://www.lightningmaster.com/FAQ.htm
http://www.ourbetternature.org/lightning…
LIGHTNING / THUNDERSTORM SAFETY
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/ligh…
http://www.disastercenter.com/guide/thun…
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/more…
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/over…
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/surv…
http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headline…
http://www.lightningtalks.com/lightningf…
http://sky-fire.tv/index.cgi/lightning.h…
http://www.washtwpmorris.org/departments…
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/0075…
www.nols.edu/resources/research/pdfs/l…

Source(s):

For more information about Weather Safety and other questions Contact weather resources at [e-mail]

Answer 2

NO, you're not.

Answer 3

Taking a shower, bath, talking on a corded phone, and sucking on a metal spike in the middle of a field during a lighting storm is not a good idea. There have been cases of lightning traveling through plumbing and through telephone lines.

Ball lightning is a phenomenon that occurs around electric cables....This should be the least of your worries.

Answer 4

It's safe as long as your in a house, and ball lightning is very rare form of lightning which streaks down in what appears to be line, with a ball of electricity in the middle- VERY RARE

Answer 5

It is a very bad idea to take a bath or a shower during a lightning storm because if a lightning bolt happens to hit your house, the electricity will travel right through all of the electrical and water lines connected to the house and you will get electrocuted in the process. Although the chances of lightning hitting your home are not definite, it is not worth risking your life.

Ball lightning is a rare phenomenon were a ball of electricity seems to hover around for a few seconds to up to a few minutes. Ball lightning has been sighted around power lines. Sizes range from centimeters to a few meters in diameter. When I was 10 years old I witnessed something similar to ball lightning outside my building around a power cable, it lasted for about a minute and was several meters wide. There need to be more studies done on this to explain why ball lightning occurs.

Source(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightn…
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/…
14 yrs. of studying meteorology