During the harshest of weather, many people come to their ownconclusions about how to fight against Mother Nature. But theproblems only get worse when people truly believe in some of themyths they're being told.

Some myths are a product of old science and observation, such asstanding in a doorway during an earthquake. Others are old wives'tales.

Misconceptions about the weather can prove to be dangerous oreven life-threatening. Here is a list of seven of the mostcommon weather-related myths and the facts to set the recordstraight.

1. Tornadoes and hurricanes do the mostharm

Although tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes appear to causethe most amount of damage, looks can be deceiving. In fact,droughts and floods do the most harm in Americaevery year, consistently killing more than 100 people per year,according to Live Science.

"Better predictions for hurricanes and other tropicalcyclones, as well as tornadoes, have reduced the death tolls fromsuch events in recent decades. But flooding deaths are on therise," according to the Live Science staff.

2. Lightning never strikes the same placetwice

Anyone who has witnessed the New York City skyline during athunderstorm knows this myth is everything but true. Lightning notonly can strike a single location twice, it also can strike twicewithin one storm.

The myth derives from the thought that because lightning stormscover such a large expanse, probability is in favor of lightningnot striking one spot twice.

However, tell that to Roy Sullivan, who got hit by lightning seventimes.

3. Doorways are the safestspots during earthquakes

One of the most common myths is that during an earthquake, thestructure of a home is strongest in a doorway. This may have beentrue years ago when adobe-made homes lacked structure beams, buthomes built even during the 1950s and 1960s are resilient enough towithstand crumbling, according to the EarthquakeCountry Alliance.

An enduring earthquake image of California is a collapsed adobehome with the door frame as the only standing part. From this cameour belief that a doorway is the safest place to be during anearthquake. True, if you live in an old, unreinforced adobe houseor some older wood frame houses. In modern houses, doorways are nostronger than any other part of the house, and the doorway doesn'tprotect you from the most likely source of injury: falling orflying objects. You also may not be able to brace yourself in thedoor during strong shaking. You're safer under a table.

A Santa Monica apartment building destroyed by theNorthridge earthquake in 1994 (Photo: American Spirit / Shutterstock.com).

4. There is such a thing as "earthquakeweather"

Around the warm, rainy season in California, a term thatcommonly gets thrown around is that it's "earthquake weather." Thetheory is that the warm Earth allows water to leech through thesoil down to the tectonic plates, lubricating them into moving.

No such thing, according to California's Department of Conservation.

"The common misconception that earthquakes occur during hot anddry weather dates to the ancient Greeks. Earthquakes take placemiles underground, and can happen at any time in any weather."

5. You can safely drive throughfloodwaters

So, you have an SUV or truck and you come across what looks tobe a small stream of floodwater. Do you risk driving throughit?

Don't even think about, says the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration.

"It is a common belief that the larger the vehicle, the deeperthe water it can drive through. Many people do not realize that twofeet of water can float most vehicles, including SUVs and pickups,If the water is moving rapidly, vehicles can be swept away."

6. Alcohol warms your body in the winter

A drink in the dead of winter definitely can make you feelbetter, but research shows that drinking during cold weatheractually makes you colder.

Alcohol dilates your blood vessels and forces blood towardyour skin, reversing the normal flow that keeps your internalorgans warm. In return, hypothermia is more likely tohappen.

Also, someresearch has shown that alcohol actually causes your body tosweat, which also lowers your body temperature.

7. Opening windows will equalize the pressure andprevent tornado damage

Tornadoes occur, in part, because of a severe drop inatmospheric pressure. An old myth has been that the pressureoutside is so dramatically different than the pressure inside yourhome that you risk your home imploding.

Not true, according to the National WeatherService.

"Opening the windows in an attempt to equalize pressure willhave no effect. It is the violent winds and debris that cause moststructural damage,” according to the NWS. "It is more important foryou to move to a safe area away from windows and exterior walls.With a tornado, every second counts, so use your time wisely andtake cover."