The Serious Hazards That Thunderstorms Present | SERVPRO® of Dublin/Vidalia/Claxton
6/22/2021 (Permalink)
![a large lighting strike just in front of person driving down road](/FranchiseContent/NewsPhotos/10006-1f87e897-40b7-4051-b234-48f521b59235.jpg)
During the warmer months of the year, thunderstorms occur with quite a bit of regularity as conditions for them become very favorable. Though they may start to feel rather routine, it is important to take every thunderstorm seriously as they all present the potential for damages.
Each thunderstorm will bring the potential for heavy rains, extreme winds and lightning strikes, and can cause hail and flash flooding as well.
Thunderstorms always contain both thunder and lightning, which are quite dangerous on their own. If a thunderstorm is elevated to severe, it will also contain hail larger than an inch around and winds faster than 58 miles per hour, making the situation even more extreme. Because of the dangers of all of these conditions, it is vital that you make sure you are taking thunderstorms seriously.
Why Thunderstorms Should Be Taken Seriously
Damage and injury from lightning strikes. If there is thunder present, the storm will always also contain lightning strikes, whether they are striking between the clouds or towards the ground. Lightning is a powerful thing that is documented as causing a minimum of 300 injuries every year. In addition to causing physical harm, lightning can also cause significant property damage due to fires and felled trees.
Property damage due to hail. Though not every thunderstorm contains hail, the ones that do are generally more serious than the ones that do not. Hail can fall with tremendous speeds from the sky, causing damage to anyone who is not adequately sheltered. Additionally, hail can cause serious property damage if it impacts the roof or siding of a home, as it can provide easy access for water damage to begin.
Harm from flash flooding. Flash flooding is something that can happen anywhere, at any time and in a very short period. When it is raining heavily, flash flooding becomes extremely likely due to storm drains becoming overwhelmed. This means that flash flooding can happen nearly anywhere and put everyone in the area in danger. In just a few inches of water, a car can be carried away or a person can be knocked off their feet.
Thunderstorms are dangerous and can cause significant damage to homes or commercial spaces. If you have damage due to a thunderstorm, you can count on us to help. Contact us 24⁄7 for more information about our storm restoration practices.