If you can hear thunder…get to the clubhouse ASAP!
What the heck is lightning anyway?
Lightning is a channel of electrical charge called a stepped leader that zigzags downward in roughly 50-yard segments in a forked pattern. This step leader is invisible to the human eye and shoots to the ground in less time than it takes to blink. As it nears the ground, the charged step leader is attracted to a channel of opposite charge reaching up, known as a streamer – normally through something tall, such as a tree, house or telephone pole. When the oppositely charged leader and streamer connect, a powerful electrical current begins flowing.
Small covered shelters are not safe from lightning! Experts state that even if they are properly grounded for structural safety, they are usually not properly grounded from the effects of lightning and side flashes to people. They are usually very unsafe and may actually increase the risk of lightning injury.