Thunderstorms are very common in Malta and it is not the first time that you were in bed all warm and cosy and heard all the chaos going round you. Thunderstorms can be very noisy and sometimes dangerous so it is good to know what you should or should not do

While thunder won't hurt you –

lightning will! So it's important to pay attention when you hear thunder. Thunderstorms have lightning. Lightning can strike people and buildings and is very dangerous. The typical thunderstorm lasts an average of

30 minutes. Nearly 1,800 thunderstorms are happening at any moment around the world.

Despite their small size, all thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes. Heavy rain from thunderstorms can lead to flash flooding. You can estimate how many miles away a storm is by counting the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to get the distance in miles. The lightning is seen before the thunder is heard because light travels faster than sound. (Of course, get safe shelter first, before you take the time to count the seconds!)

Thunderstorms need three things:

• Moisture – to form clouds and rain.

• Unstable Air – relatively warm air that can rise rapidly.

• Lift – fronts, sea breezes are

capable of lifting air to help form

thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms can occur year-round and at all hours of the day or night.

Lightning Facts

• Lightning has "favourite" sites that it may hit many times during one storm.

• Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.

• Rubber-soled shoes and

rubber tyres provide NO protection from lightning. The steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.

• Lightning-struck victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to

immediately.

• What is referred to as "heat lightning" is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away for thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction!