Peak lightning month approaching

[weathernms]

5 people have been struck and killed over the last 6 days in 5 states!

July is the peak month for lightning strikes and lightning related deaths. June is the 2nd lightning prone month.

According to the National Climatic Data Center, there were over 750 lightning incidents/reports across the United States in 2008.

(Lightning incidents include buildings and humans struck by lightning)

Full details:
Lightning strikes cause over 750 lightning related incidents in 2008

 

[QRTRHRS]

Good reminder. I respect the awesome power of lighning. Having animals out on open space will find you in situations that test your nerves on occasion.

I can recall going out to the barn to tend my horses one January morning when a warm spell hit with snow on the ground. Fog so thick you could barely see two feet. Along with that one of those rumbling thunderstorms with lightning flashes preceding the thunder by about three or four seconds. Along with that, we were up on a hill.

 

[jdbower]

How many people have taught their kids about the dangers of talking to strangers? A child has a much higher risk of being hit by lightning than they do of being abducted by a stranger. How many of you now want to talk to your kids about what to do in case of a lightning storm? Especially if it means doing some research yourself to figure out the answers a little preparation never hurts!

 

[Amontilado]

For more info, go to wikipedia at:

Lightning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If one dives into the calculations, a bolt can approach a terawatt or more(hello USS Enterprise...) in power .

Read somewhere(and may be wrong in the context) that the longest bolt of lightning was recorded at ~120 miles , so even if the thunderstorm isn't "overhead" it can strike near to cause problems. Too many think that just because the storm isn't overhead, lightning can't hit you. If one hears the thunder from the lightning in a thunderstorms, you are close enough to be affected. After, waiting at least 30 minutes after the last rumble is heard, conditions are considered safe to head out from shelter.

Steve

 

[dmccarty]

We have been getting some strong storms over the last month or so. Perfect for the garden. Though I just noticed the top of a tree about 12 feet long has been broken. Its a small tree in the middle of far taller trees. Kinda strange.

One night I went outside to apply some natural deer repellent and I noticed a flash of light. It was very strange. A minute or so later there was another flash of light. It was either from aliens or from thunderstorms hundreds of miles to the east. I don't know how that is possible to see flashes of light from that far away. But that was the only storm on radar. I did not hear thunder.

In a recent storm I heard thunder that lasted 10-15 seconds. It just kept going and going and going. I have never heard that before.

Later,
Dan

 

[Amontilado]

We have been getting some strong storms over the last month or so. Perfect for the garden. Though I just noticed the top of a tree about 12 feet long has been broken. Its a small tree in the middle of far taller trees. Kinda strange.

One night I went outside to apply some natural deer repellent and I noticed a flash of light. It was very strange. A minute or so later there was another flash of light. It was either from aliens or from thunderstorms hundreds of miles to the east. I don't know how that is possible to see flashes of light from that far away. But that was the only storm on radar. I did not hear thunder.

In a recent storm I heard thunder that lasted 10-15 seconds. It just kept going and going and going. I have never heard that before.

Later,
Dan

It's quite possible to see lightning very far away, especially if it is from the top of the storm. I can't remember the exact context or web site of the record, but a bolt 120 miles is recorded as a record . Of course, if the storm is more than 30 or so miles away, the thunder usually will not be heard.

Steve