Lightning safety tips for Montana

MONTANA — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that more than 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes happen every year in the United States. Each of these bolts can carry more than 300 million volts.

Betsy Ross with Montana Disaster and Emergency Services said people should check the weather and know how to respond in different outdoor settings.

"If you're on the river or lake, if you can get to shore, that would be great. If you're going for a hike or something like that, we want to make sure that you get as low as possible. Sometimes it's hard when you're out on the trails, and it could take a while to get back, but generally staying away from exposed areas and getting to the lowest place that's available [is best]," said Ross.

Ross also explained that the National Weather Service put the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year at one in 1,222,000. Even given that, she said people should still take the risk seriously.

"Even though the odds are low, I would hope that no one would want to put their family or their friends in a dangerous situation. If you are someone who's outdoors, it's just not a statistic that I would want to risk," said Ross.

If people can't not get indoors, Ross said they should avoid being the tallest thing in the area. She also said people should not take shelter under isolated trees or utility towers.