You can't swim in an indoor pool during a thunderstorm because lightning travels through water and conductive materials like metal pipes and wires, creating a serious electrocution risk even indoors; if lightning strikes the pool's plumbing or electrical system, the current can spread through the water and surrounding structures, putting swimmers in danger, as the water itself conducts electricity well, and metal fixtures become pathways for the charge.
Indoor pools aren't risk-free
Even when swimming inside, storms can still pose a risk. Lightning can travel through metal wiring and plumbing, so it's safest to avoid swimming or showering during severe electrical storms.
If it strikes in the pool you are in, the electric charge will quickly dissipate, catching nearly anyone standing within even the longest distance from where the place of the initial strike is. This quality makes water dangerous during storms because the electrical current travels far from the strike point.
Don't take a bath or shower, or wash dishes during a storm. It's essential that people in charge of organized outdoor activities understand the dangers of lightning and have a lightning safety plan. Don't be afraid to ask. If you hear thunder, it's time to get to a safe building or vehicle.
Lightning can reach your pool from storms up to 10 miles away - much farther than most swimmers realize. The National Weather Service tracks these strikes and finds they frequently hit within 3 miles of pools. Your pool's metal components make perfect targets.
The 30/30 lightning rule is a safety guideline: if you see lightning and hear thunder in 30 seconds or less (flash-to-bang), lightning is close and dangerous; seek immediate shelter in a sturdy building or metal-roofed vehicle, not under trees or small shelters, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming outdoor activities. This rule helps determine when a thunderstorm poses a direct threat and requires action, preventing injuries during sports and outdoor events.
Sudden death following a lightning strike is due to simultaneous cardiac and respiratory arrest and is more common with direct strikes. Typically, patients will have an asystolic arrest due to an immediate and simultaneous depolarization of all myocardial cells.
Stay off corded phones, computers and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity. Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths and faucets. Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches. Do not lie on concrete floors, and do not lean against concrete walls.
The risk of lightning travelling through plumbing might be less with plastic pipes than with metal pipes. However, it is best to avoid any contact with plumbing and running water during a lightning storm to reduce your risk of being struck.
According to the National Weather Service, lightning strikes the Earth approximately 25 million times each year in the United States alone. While not every strike hits a home or building, a significant number do. On average, about 1 in 200 homes in the U.S. will be struck by lightning annually.
No death by lightning has ever been reported in an indoor pool and these bodies of water are generally believed to be safe in a storm (unless they're connected to an outdoor pool). If you do exit the indoor pool during a storm, the danger is not over.
When you're sick. When you're sick, you should avoid swimming because you can easily tire yourself out. It can also impede your immune system's ability to heal from the sickness meaning your illness could worsen. Besides, swimming while you're sick puts other people in the water at risk of infection.
Is it safe to swim in the rain in a pool? It isn't safe even when there is no lightning. Storms may build up and become threatening very quickly, and with lightning striking far outside the thunder, proximity does not guarantee safety. The prudent choice is to refrain from swimming anytime there is rain.
As well as being fun, swimming is a great way to keep fit, stay healthy and make friends. Swimming is a healthy activity that you can continue for a lifetime. It is a low-impact activity that has many physical and mental health benefits.
Lightning flashes create nitrogen in the atmosphere which then gets washed into the swimming pool with rain water. This can make your pool green for the following reasons: Nitrogen turns into a total dissolved solid which creates bacteria in the water.
Fish and other aquatic animals
Floodwater is not safe for fishing. Avoid eating fish or other aquatic animals, such as shellfish or yabbies, from areas that have been impacted by flood. Fish should be thoroughly rinsed and gutted before cooking.
The 30-30 lightning rule is a safety guideline: if the time between seeing lightning and hearing thunder is less than 30 seconds, seek immediate shelter, as the storm is within 10 km (6 miles) and dangerous. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard before resuming outdoor activities, allowing the storm to move further away (approximately 20 km or 12 miles). This rule helps you gauge the storm's proximity and when it's safe to return.
Lighting Storm Safety Tips:
Whether it's taking a bath, brushing your teeth, washing dishes, etc, avoid the use of water until the storm has passed. Do not attempt to seek shelter under a tree, as lighting may strike the tree, sending tiny bits and pieces of wood flying in all directions.
Yes, according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, lightning can travel through plumbing. They advise not to shower, have a bath or even turn on a tap. As water conducts electricity, it's also best to avoid any type of water-based activity when there's a thunderstorm warning.
The only cause of death from lightning is from cardiac arrest at the time of the injury, although some may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage.
The "lightning 5-second rule" estimates lightning distance: count seconds between seeing a flash and hearing thunder, then divide by 5 to get miles (or by 3 for kilometers) because sound travels about 1 mile every 5 seconds. This helps gauge danger, but if you hear thunder at all, seek shelter immediately, as lightning can strike far from the storm, ideally waiting 30 minutes after the last thunder.
Outdoors? Take cover
Roy Sullivan, who died in 1983, was a park ranger and fire lookout better known for having survived more lightning strikes in his life than any other human. Sullivan was hit by lightning a preposterous seven times, once in 1942 and on six more occasions between 1969 and 1977 - a rate of almost once per year.
Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability.
National Weather Service Lightning Fatalities in 2025: 20.