Is It Safe To Charge Your Phone During A Thunderstorm?

If you are in the middle of a storm, it may be tempting to charge your phone so you know it's full and ready to go if the power goes out, but that's not a good idea. Especially if you see those flashes and hear that cracking, then it means there's a thunderstorm outside. Should your phone run low on battery power during that thunderstorm, you should by no means plug it into a wall outlet and start charging it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is important — do not do it.

Charging your phone in the middle of a thunderstorm is a danger to your phone, and most importantly, to your life. The act itself will not attract lightning. In an interview with AccuWeather, John Jensenius, an expert on lightning safety, said that nothing really ever attracts lightning. Getting struck by lightning is a game of chance. It doesn't matter whether you're charging your phone at a power outlet or not. However, he did say that "lightning does follow wires and fences and things of that nature."

That means, should lightning strike the nearest electric pole, it can send tens of thousands of volts surging through your home. Your phone cannot withstand that much voltage and will be fried in the process. It can also cause injury if it bursts, and you could get electrocuted. You can charge your phone during a thunderstorm using a portable charger or a laptop, as long as you don't plug any of those into a wall outlet.

Once you learn that a thunderstorm is in the forecast, it's best to charge your devices well in advance — keep an eye out for warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) to gauge timing. Charge your phones and tablets well before the storm is set to arrive, and ensure you're charging them properly. You should also charge your portable chargers, laptops, lamps, and any other devices you might need. Remember, none of your cordless devices will attract lightning, meaning they will be safe to use during a thunderstorm. There is a chance that the strong winds of a thunderstorm can cause a power outage, so avoid any habits that will drain your phone's battery quickly. You might need it in an emergency.

When the storm hits, it's time for action. Ensure all your electronics and appliances are unplugged, from the TV to your game console to your fridge and washing machine. Do it even if you have a whole-house surge protector. Although these do a good job of absorbing excess electricity spikes coming from the electric grid and grounding them, the volts from a direct lightning strike can still overwhelm their systems. It can be like emptying a swimming pool into a cup. A lot of it can still spill over and damage anything that is still plugged in, so don't completely rely on surge protectors, no matter how expensive they are.