MacBook vulnerability to nearby lightning strikes, and consequences…

Question

MacBook vulnerability to nearby lightning strikes, and consequences…

Just a month ago, after living in our new house on a mountain ridge in the jungle near the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica for three years, during an especially vigorous thunder-and-lightning storm, a bolt of lightning struck about ten meters away from our house with simultaneous flash of light and mighty shocking blast of roar, far brighter and louder than ever before. We were stunned (not electrically), and our hair slightly stood up.

Immediately after that event, both of our MacBooks (an Intel from 2019 and an M3 from 2024) would not boot up. These computers were protected with three layers (system surge protection, local surge protection, a UPS, and delay-isolation) plus running off battery, so this was not a power problem. I suspect damage from an current induced by an electromagnetic pulse (an EMP) from the lightning. How credible is that notion?

On the Intel Mac, the ELC180 chip burned out and allowed over-voltage to the SSD (and who-knows what else?); we have not diagnosed the M Mac yet, but are investigating. I have heard that this sort of thing is neither new nor unique in Apple history, and I wonder if Apple takes any responsibility for it. Should Apple do that?

And if we had to poke around in the Macs to figure this out, should that invalidate any AppleCare remedy?

Please advise…

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 15.7

Posted on Jul 20, 2026 4:42 PM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

160,388 points

Jul 21, 2026 6:23 PM in response to alexander.carpenter

I had the same thing happen. More or less the same protections too. Nothing can prevent a nearby lightning strike from inflicting essentially limitless damage. If you have the forethought to do so, unplug everything expensive.

Technically a lightning strike is not identical to an EMP but it might as well be — an extremely high electrical field resulting in voltages and current passing through anything in its way.

At the time APC had an equipment damage guarantee. They paid to replace all the equipment their UPS failed to protect, including a brand new iMac. It earned them a customer for life. I don't know if APC still has that guarantee. It's probably not a good idea to have one, because nothing can provide absolute assurance against damage from such enormous energy. I literally heard the building wiring snap in the wall behind me.

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Answer 2

leroydouglas

Level 10

206,404 points

Jul 20, 2026 5:26 PM in response to alexander.carpenter

alexander.carpenter wrote:

JI have heard that this sort of thing is neither new nor unique in Apple history, and I wonder if Apple takes any responsibility for it. Should Apple do that?

And if we had to poke around in the Macs to figure this out, should that invalidate any AppleCare remedy?

Apple has no liability insurance available against mother nature

Apple Care+ /AppleCareOne will cover a large portion of accidental damage— if you have it.

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Outside the USA

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

I would shutdown an unplug any electronics in any future event.

View Coverage - AppleCare & Warranty

Get your mac repaired and how much will it cost

Product Service and Repair Information - Official Apple Support

Get your Mac ready for service - Apple Support Get your Mac ready for service - Apple Support

see Vintage and Obsolete:

Vintage—Apple will repair if parts are available; Obsolete—no.

Obtaining service for your Apple product after an expired warranty - Apple Support

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Answer 3

VikingOSX

Level 10

129,082 points

Jul 21, 2026 9:27 AM in response to alexander.carpenter

I keep track of approaching thunderstorms and if I observe excessive lightning, I will unplug important electrical gear including Macs, displays, and TV until the storms pass. That is the only surge protection you can bet on.

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Answer 4

Kurt Lang

Level 9

72,289 points

Jul 20, 2026 5:05 PM in response to alexander.carpenter

There isn't an electronic device made that can withstand the massive voltage of a nearby lightning strike. Especially not a computer, which operates on 5v and 12v DC power. It's takes very little to overwhelm the circuitry of a computer.

Not even devices meant to protect your equipment, like a UPS, can always protect what's plugged into it.

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Answer 5

Jul 23, 2026 10:46 AM in response to VikingOSX

Excellent info, thanks. Serious high-tech resource. At our deep-ravine, foot-of-a-high-ridge location here in Costa Rica we have good warning of approaching thunderstorms from the rumble and grumble as lightning approaches, so we have now learned to disconnect and even cover the Macs with some sheetmetal left over from a job-site. Similarly, as heavy rain approaches we can actually hear the front pounding on the tree-foliage and are alerted. What we don’t have is the detailed coverage as in your illustration, which is great for open, large-scale country and not available for our high-relief micro-terrain. So we adapt, and bury our sizzled Macs with honors…

Actually, we keep them for parts, since the Costa Rica customs and import duties are so outrageously high, and the few sufficiently-skilled repair techs are frustrated by those costs and delays.

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Answer 6

VikingOSX

Level 10

129,082 points

Jul 22, 2026 6:43 AM in response to John Galt

I use the RadarScope application on my Mac, i/Pad/OS, and Apple TV to watch active color radar of approaching storms. RadarScope is not a forecast tool and there are other sources for that data.

RadarScope Pro costs me $10 per year and that price has not changed in five years. You can set it to different NWS NEXRAD radar sites. I can even get data from individual storm cells like hail size, wind speed, direction, and rotation if present. It will even show the anticipated arrival time at different vector segments of the storm motion.

More info at the RadarScope support site.

Sample image captured from the Grand Rapids, MI NEXRAD data which is west of me. The red boxes are tornado warnings with one active on the ground…

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Answer 7

VikingOSX

Level 10

129,082 points

Jul 23, 2026 12:07 PM in response to alexander.carpenter

RadarScope is not limited to the continental U.S., but does not list Costa Rica for coverage. Yeah, that if you want to know what the weather is up to, then just look (or hear) out the window likely does apply on a mountain top. 😉

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Answer 8

Jul 21, 2026 4:15 PM in response to VikingOSX

As you might expect, that is the policy we have adopted. Thanks to all for your perspectives…

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