Lightning safety while hiking: what to do in a thunderstorm, offline
Last updated 2 June 2026
If a thunderstorm catches you out hiking, get off high ground and away from lone trees, ridges, water, and metal, then move into lower terrain or uniform forest and wait it out. On iPhone, Ferdinands Outdoor Companion (FOC) carries a dedicated, fully offline article on thunderstorm and lightning protection that you can open with no signal, in the moment you need it. It walks through the 30/30 rule, which places are safer and which are dangerous, a clear four-step response, and how to help someone struck by lightning. It is free, with no ads, no in-app purchases, and no tracking.
What the FOC lightning article actually covers
FOC's thunderstorm and lightning article is a self-contained offline reference, not a general weather page. It opens with an overview of how lightning behaves, then gives you the 30/30 rule as a quick timing guide, sorts terrain into safer and dangerous places, and ends with a step-by-step response and a first-aid note.
- Safer places it names: inside a larger forest of even-height trees, low ground such as a hollow or depression, a solid building, and the low crouch position when nothing better is at hand.
- Dangerous places it warns against: a single lone tree, hilltops and ridges, open water, metal objects, exposed cliffs and rock faces, and an open tent.
Because every word is stored on the device, the article reads the same whether you have five bars or none. That is the whole point of carrying it: a storm tends to roll in exactly where coverage runs out.
The four steps, and helping someone who is struck
The article lays out a clear four-step response so you are not improvising under pressure: monitor the storm and estimate its distance, seek the right shelter for the terrain, position your body to lower your risk, and be ready to give first aid if someone is hit. It closes with a plain safety warning rather than false reassurance.
For the first-aid side, FOC keeps related offline articles on resuscitation, shock, and unconsciousness in its first-aid section, so you can read across to them on the same device. See the offline first-aid reference guide for what that section holds. Treat all of this as a memory aid, not a replacement for training or emergency services. If you can reach help, call it. An app keeps you calm and keeps the steps in front of you, but you still bring judgement, a charged phone, and a plan you told someone before you left.
How it compares
| What you need in a storm | FOC | By memory alone |
|---|---|---|
| Works with no signal | Yes, fully on-device | Depends on you |
| The 30/30 timing rule | Spelled out | Easy to misremember |
| Safer vs dangerous terrain | Both lists, with detail | Guesswork |
| Four-step response | Step by step | Improvised |
| First-aid cross-reference | In the first-aid section | Not at hand |
| Price | Free, no ads or tracking | Free |
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if a thunderstorm catches me while hiking?
Get off high ground and away from lone trees, ridges, open water, and metal. Move into lower terrain or a larger forest of even-height trees, and if nothing better is near, take the low crouch position. FOC's offline lightning article gives you the full four-step response: monitor the storm, seek shelter, position your body, and be ready to give first aid.
Does FOC's lightning article work without a connection?
Yes. The thunderstorm and lightning-protection article is stored on the device, so it opens with no signal, which is exactly when a storm is most likely to find you off-grid.
What is the 30/30 rule the article mentions?
It is a quick timing guide the article uses to judge when a storm is close enough to be dangerous and when it has passed enough to move on. FOC presents it as a clear info box so you can recall it under pressure.
Which places does FOC say are dangerous in a thunderstorm?
The article lists lone trees, hilltops and ridges, open water, metal objects, exposed cliffs and rock faces, and open tents. It pairs that with safer options like lower ground, a larger even-height forest, a solid building, or the crouch position.
Is FOC free, and does it show ads?
FOC is free with no ads, no in-app purchases, and no tracking. The full reference, including the lightning article, stays on the device.
Can I rely on this instead of real training?
No. The article is a calm, source-true memory aid, not a substitute for first-aid training or emergency services. If someone is struck and you can reach help, call it, then follow the first-aid steps.
Related
Sources
This is general reference, not medical, safety, or professional advice. Skills like first aid and foraging carry real risk. In a real emergency, call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 911 in the US).