Thunder and Lightning

[Amanda_931]

I sure don't love it at the best of times.

Miss Cherty Pie Barker hates it nearly always (it is why she chewed her way out of a chain-link fence).

Now she wants to come in during a thunderstorm.

This evening I was trying to keep her out--there seemed to be a lull in the storm so I'd taken the inside dogs out for a quick walk.  

Cherty wanted [highlight]in[/highlight].

I stood outside with my hand on the door (remember this is a trailer), trying to get two but not three dogs inside, heard a large nearby crash of thunder, simultaneously was shocked--not very badly.  I was glad.  But Cherty got to come in for a bit.  Not at all sure what was going on.

[glenn-k]

We occasionally get some cool thunder and lightning storms up here, Amanda.  That is why I put the cupola on the garage.  I made it big enough to sleep in during the lightning storm --with a tin roof on top the hill - that ought to be cool.  Maybe I should install a lightning rod?

I went through one really cool electrical storm in my airplane IFR.  Little streaks of P-static lightning flying off the tips of the wings.  Kind of interesting.

[Amanda_931]

I did look up lightning rods once--probably two computers ago.  Lots of people were ready with recommendations for what I should buy in the way of lightning protection.  But once I got away from those, most of the sites seemed to be saying "don't bother,"  that possibly the kind of thing I got into last night would be much more likely if I had lightning protection.

It did spook me.

But there was widespread hail around the county last night, which I was just as glad to have dodged.

[glenn-k]

My wind generator tower is well grounded for lightning and I have a lightning arrestor on my power regulator - like that will do anything, but recommended.

[jraabe]

I once worked at 10,000 ft on Maui at a solar obseratory. There was a glass stool to sit on in the middle of the dome if you got stuck up there in an electrical storm.

I remember keeping my legs tucked up under my chin one long stormy night!  

[glenn-k]

Maybe I should sleep in my cupola with an apple in my mouth and a tender timer in my .........ummm............pocket.

[Jimmy_Cason]

I had a similar experience about 15 years ago.
My 2-year old son and I were standing by a window in our apartment watching some amazing lightning.  There were so many flashes, so often, it reminded me of a strobe light.
Suddenly, A bolt hit the field next to the apartment and a large blue spark shot from the metal window frame and hit my shoulder.
At the same time about 15 of my sons battery powered toys flashed the lights or made a sound.
What was really weird is that some of the toys had no batteries in them at the time.

[Amanda_931]

Strange, huh?

[gandalfthegrey]

I once worked at 10,000 ft on Maui at a solar obseratory. There was a glass stool to sit on in the middle of the dome if you got stuck up there in an electrical storm.

I remember keeping my legs tucked up under my chin one long stormy night!  

There is a fire lookout in the southern part of Seqoia National park that has a glass table and a stool that is insulated for lightning strikes.  During the storms you sit on the chair with your feet on the rungs. Glass cooking pans and gas stove.  exciting and scary at the same time.

[rick91351]

There is a fire lookout in the southern part of Seqoia National park that has a glass table and a stool that is insulated for lightning strikes.  During the storms you sit on the chair with your feet on the rungs. Glass cooking pans and gas stove.  exciting and scary at the same time.

Actually pretty standard for a USFS lookout.  Have seen them with the standard USFS cot up on insulators.  I think they are all that way - the ones we have visited.  Never been there in a lighting storm but can only imagine.  There are three close to our ranch.  Trinity is the most visited I would guess and what a veiw.  Then Danskin and House Mountain I think are all being used currently.     

[rwanders]

 

Was out in a bathing suit sweeping our driveway off in midst of one to take advantage off all the rain when sparks started jumping off broom handle------I did drop broom and got back inside in one leap. Taught me a lesson---I was only 16 then. Lucky I made it to 17.

[Ernest T. Bass]

My brother got some cool pics last night..

[glenn kangiser]

Very cool pix, Andrew.  Thanks for sharing it.