Administrators Eric Posted July 16, 2021 Administrators Share Posted July 16, 2021 Quote Three English siblings were struck by lightning Monday and captured the hellish-looking scene in a mind-blowing selfie photo. The Jobsons — Rachel, Isobel and Andrew — escaped with just burns and a short hospital stay after being zapped while standing under a tree during a storm over East Molesey, they told the BBC. Read More... https://nypost.com/2021/07/13/siblings-capture-hellish-moment-they-were-struck-by-lightning/ 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 16, 2021 Author Administrators Share Posted July 16, 2021 Any Army vets out there remember the drill for getting caught out in the open during a lightning storm? We would stack weapons, spread out and lay on the ground under our ponchos. The first time I ever had to do this, we were all laying in three or four inches of water, before it was over. It had been raining all week and that afternoon, the sky opened the hell up. It was impressive how quickly the water rose. It was in the fifties that day and that freaking water was COLD. Those are not the kind of moments that put in recruiting commercials. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huaco Kid Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 The closest I've been was partying in a park in high school. It was looking very ominous, but the storm wasn't there yet. Then everyone started laughing and pointing at each other, because everyone's hair was starting to float up. Then we all got scared faces and ran under a pavilion. Two seconds later, it hit ~30' away, right about where we were standing. A 3' wide x 6" deep wad of turf blew into the air as the sound hit. The flash came .1 second later. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deputy tom Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Eric said: https://nypost.com/2021/07/13/siblings-capture-hellish-moment-they-were-struck-by-lightning/ They all need to go buy a lottery ticket each. tom. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crockett Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 In my state there's a pretty clear disconnect between Floridians and visitors. For 6 months out of the year we have almost daily thunderstorms. When I hear the first thunder its time to get out of the water, and off the beach, while everybody else - usually from up North - tries to be cool. If you get caught in a thunderstorm with no shelter around, do not lay flat on the ground, go hunker down on your feet in a crouched position and keep the contact surface to ground as small and as close together as possible. Contrary to popular believe, lighting does not come down from the sky, it is a discharge from the ground into the cloud. Electricity always tries to find the path with the least amount of resistance, hence the discharge goes often through a tree, because it offers a discharge with less resistance into the cloud. By keeping the footprint to the ground small and tight, you increase the chances that the electrical load will discharge right back into the ground, without going through your entire body and burning any organs. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 16, 2021 Author Administrators Share Posted July 16, 2021 36 minutes ago, deputy tom said: They all need to go buy a lottery ticket each. tom. It’s too bad they can’t buy a little common sense. I knew better than to stand under a tree during a lightning-producing storm when I was five. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 A friend and I were fishing one day, casting from my boat to shore. All of a sudden (I suppose it was longer, but we werent really paying attention) the sky gets dark and we started discussing when to quit. Just as quickly a lightning bolt hit a solitary tree on the shoreline right where we were casting. Blew the little thing all to hell! It was funny, 'cause just a quickly both rod tips went into the water and we looked at each other to see if one of us was missing. We hastily did a fast retreat off the lake. The funny thing was that, both of us worked in Electronics/magnetics/research together for years and were quite familar with large electrical discharges and the dangers involved. Oh well, some live and some learn........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railfancwb Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 When lightening hits a deciduous tree and peels a strip of bark off, that tree is probably dead with boiled sapwood. When it hits an evergreen, it may not be killed even though a strip of bark is peeled. The Rosen reacts differently from sap. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huaco Kid Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 I was working in the garage and heard the biggest crack-boom EVAR. I stepped out and the huge oak branch on the ground was still cracking and moving. There was a big piece of bark, smoking on the ground. I picked it up. And burned the crap out of my fingers. It was still steaming when I got it back in the garage. It's still in my toolbox. I don't know why. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batesmotel Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 I was in my living room sitting on the couch. One arm resting on the back of the couch, elbow touching the wall when lightning hit the roof. I got an uncomfortable tickle through my arm and down to my feet. It blew a small hole in the roof shingle. I can’t imagine a full strike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fog Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 47 minutes ago, railfancwb said: When lightening hits a deciduous tree and peels a strip of bark off, that tree is probably dead with boiled sapwood. When it hits an evergreen, it may not be killed even though a strip of bark is peeled. The Rosen reacts differently from sap. Neighbor had a huge Doug Fir, about 4' dbh, branches at the bottom where over 12" diameter. It got hit by a bolt so powerful it exploded the tree, 20' tall stub of the trunk was all splintered at the top, huge pile of shattered wood all around. The utter power unleashed to do that to such a huge tree really boggles the mind. I've seen lots of scarred trees in the woods, must have been hit by the baby lightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampfox762 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 2 hours ago, crockett said: Contrary to popular believe, lighting does not come down from the sky, it is a discharge from the ground into the cloud. Sure as hell learned THAT in Linework,...standin in a bucket with a foot of water in it...workin on 13.8Kv With Rubber gloves in a fuckin Lightening Storm. That was Back in the day...when we did stupid **** to provide..."Continuity" of Service... Glad I made out of that time alive...Did some stupid **** back then. Just to get the customer back in power. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO Fugga Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 1 hour ago, railfancwb said: When lightening hits a deciduous tree and peels a strip of bark off, that tree is probably dead with boiled sapwood. When it hits an evergreen, it may not be killed even though a strip of bark is peeled. The Rosen reacts differently from sap. I learnt something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfost11 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 I keep saying cycling is dangerous. It's damned difficult to be struck by lightning in your house, sitting on your couch with a beer. Although with enough beer it's possible. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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