Dangerous thunderstorms

How best to protect electronics from lightning

A magnificent celestial spectacle, but one that harbors dangers

(Bild: Constantin Handl)

Beautiful from a distance and yet highly dangerous! Not even within your own four walls are you completely safe from electronic strikes. Find out what protective measures can be taken here.

Heavy thunderstorms are as much a part of midsummer as chips are to barbecued chicken. Everyone knows the three-second rule: if the thunder can be heard after three seconds, the lightning has ignited a kilometer away in the clouds. According to the Austrian Lightning Detection and Information System (Aldis), 10,280 flashes of lightning have struck Upper Austria so far this year - which is almost exactly the statistical average.

Farms on fire
Last week, lightning caused two farm fires during a thunderstorm night in Kefermarkt and Fraham. "In general, it's best to stay at home or get to safety when a thunderstorm is approaching," advises Wolfgang Schulz from Aldis.

"Before going on mountain tours or hikes, it's essential to find out about the weather situation and plan accordingly!" In the past few days, there have been several spectacular rescue operations in the Salzkammergut when hikers and climbers have been caught in thunderstorms.

Play it safe
However, Schulz's warning does not mean that you have to leave everything where it is when the weather lights up. But: "If the thunderstorm is approaching quickly or is already very close, you should play it safe," agrees GeoSphere Austria meteorologist Christian Ortner. In open fields, you should seek shelter in hollows or crouch down on the ground and put your feet up. Free-standing trees should be avoided, as should forests.

Protect lightning rods
You are usually safe at home: "A correctly installed lightning conductor on the roof is the best protection", says lightning expert Wolfgang Schulz. But: In rare cases, lightning can jump over to the power lines and destroy connected devices.

Danger of overvoltage
"Almost all new buildings have integrated surge arresters that protect the electronics. However, 20 to 30 years ago, these were not yet common and were certainly not retrofitted everywhere." Here, distribution boards with built-in arresters allow the safe use of televisions, computers etc. during thunderstorms. However, overvoltage can also reach a device via the internet cable if the modem is not sufficiently protected, for example.