Weather Myths and Truths by Dan Robinson

Editor/Photographer

In my 34-year career chasing and photographing storms and weather, I've personally seen storm phenomena break many of the myths you've probably been hearing for most of your life. On these pages, I'll show you the truths behind the myths!

Dan's Tornado Myths and Truths

MYTH:	A funnel cloud needs to touch the ground to be a tornado, OR the visible funnel is the tornado.

MYTH:	"Tornado Alley" is located in the Great Plains states of the USA.

MYTH:	Tornadoes are the biggest weather danger in the Great Plains and Midwest.

MYTH:	Tornadoes are the biggest danger when storm chasing.

MYTH:	Highway overpasses are good tornado shelters.

MYTH:	Tornadoes can't happen in mountainous areas.

MYTH:	Opening windows will prevent tornadoes from damaging your home by equalizing air pressure.

Dan's Lightning Myths and Truths

MYTH:	Wearing an Ipod and headphones will attract lightning.

MYTH:	A Surge Protector will protect against all lightning strikes.

MYTH:	Small metal objects attract lightning, and I'm safer outside without any metal nearby.

MYTH:	Lightning never strikes in the same place twice.

MYTH:	The "world record lightning strike" means that lightning can strike 200 miles away from a thunderstorm.

MYTH:	During a recent videotaped lightning storm, a strike showed up only inches/feet from my camera.

MYTH:	"Catatumbo lightning" is a unique type of lightning created by swamps.

MYTH:	Lightning only strikes very tall objects / Lightning always strikes the tallest object.

MYTH:	Lightning only strikes good conductors (such as metal).

MYTH:	Wearing jewelry, wearing shoes with metal cleats or carrying metal objects such as tripods, golf clubs and umbrellas will attract lightning and make me more susceptible to a strike.

MYTH:	Lightning rods 'discharge' a cloud and prevent a lightning strike / It is possible to 'drain' the charge from a storm.

MYTH:	Lightning rods attract lightning.

MYTH:	Lightning doesn't strike water.

MYTH:	Lightning could be used as a power source.

MYTH:	Rubber shoes or boots insulate and therefore protect against a lightning strike.

MYTH:	'Heat Lightning' is a strange phenomenon caused by hot weather.

Storm chaser and photographer Dan Robinson

About the Author: Dan Robinson has been a storm chaser, photographer and cameraman for 34 years. His career has involved traveling around the country covering the most extreme weather on the planet including tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning, floods and winter storms. Dan has been extensively published in newspapers, magazines, web articles and more, and has both supplied footage for and appeared in numerous television productions and newscasts. He has also been involved in the research community, providing material for published scientific journal papers on tornadoes and lightning.

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