Right now I'm out in the canyon country around Moab, Utah doing, ahem, research for the second edition of my book Rock Climbing Utah, which came out a dozen years ago. The days are hot and cloudless but soon thunderstorms will begin building in the afternoons on the nearby La Sal Mountains as well as the other high mountain ranges across the West.
The danger of thunderstorms is not so much heavy rain but the danger posed by lightning, which always accompanies severe thunderstorms. It's easy to think that most summer storms are not hazardous, but the truth is that every one is potentially lethal.
Lightning is like climbers--they both enjoy high places. If you're out climbing and you watch a thunderstorm moving toward you, it's best to descend to a lower and more protected elevation. If you want to be safe and know about lightning, read my five articles about lightning, tips to avoid lightning strikes and lightning first aid at the section Lightning Safety for Climbers.
Read the articles:
Lightning Safety for Climbers: Summer is Lightning Season
10 Lightning Tips for Climbers
8 Tips to Avoid Lightning Strikes
First Aid for Lightning Victims
Facts About Lightning
Photograph above: Lightning and climbers both love high places. Photograph © Marc Romanelli/Getty Images
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