ALCOA, Tenn. — According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. monitors some 25 million strikes of lightning from clouds to ground every year.
That's not to scare you completely. But it does mean when you hear or see those flashes of light in the sky you'll want to take them seriously.
Alcoa resident Izzy Miller said when it started storming a few days ago he took a peek outside because he wanted to get a quick video.
"The thunder and lightning was pretty bad," he said.
Within a few seconds, something out of the ordinary happened.
"I was sitting here on the front porch and the light hit the house across the street and I freaked out and ran inside," he said.
A bolt of lightning hit a house and Miller said he was shocked.
"I basically freaked out and ran inside," he said.
I know what you are thinking. How does this happen? Meteorologist Cassie Nall has a few ideas.
"So lightning tends to strike the tallest object or follow the path of least resistance so that's why you want to stay away from tall trees and stay in your home and away from doors and windows to avoid getting stuck," she said.
While you can't always help where you are when storms arrive. Nall said you'll want to take it seriously regardless.
"If you are close enough to hear the thunder you are close enough to be struck by the lightning that's why you should go indoors," she said.
But what exactly attracts lightning? Cassie and NOAA note there are a few common things to think about.
"Lightning is an electrical current and therefore it can travel into your home through any material that conducts electricity like your metal pipes or any cables or wires," Nall said.
Now, this doesn't mean you should be frightened every time it storms. NOAA states the chances of you becoming a lightning victim each year is 1 in 700,000. But it does mean you want to be safe and more importantly inside.
"Lightning is always dangerous any time of year but especially in the summer that's when folks are outdoors most often so that's why we stress you want to head inside when you hear that thunder rumble," Nall said.