I have always been fascinated by lightning and found it very mesmerizing, yet scary at the same time. I was more afraid of the thunder, especially when it was so loud and rattled the windows. As a kid, and even as I got older, I was afraid of the storms when they came in during the night. When I was young, if I thought there was a chance at a thunderstorm, I would go to bed early hoping I would sleep through it. I was only scared at night-time– if it was during the day–I wanted to be out watching it. I figure it has something to do with it being pitch black and not being able to sleep while the thunder is rolling overhead.
Now, as an adult, I find it exciting to watch and love to have thunderstorms as long as it is during the day. A few months back, in April 09, this awesome thunderstorm came over during a cloudy afternoon. This one was very odd, since it was sunny and colorful to my left, but dark and ominous to my right. All of a sudden I heard a clap of snarl that was the loudest I had ever remembered hearing in my life. It was so loud, that it residence off one of the car alarms in my neighborhood. It was cool! Then it suddenly began to pour, then hailing, as I stood on my covered porch watching it all.
What are the most common types of lightning?
The first type is called Cloud-to-Ground lightning. This is when a lightning is discharged between cloud and ground and initiated by a downward moving stepped leader. A “leader” is the initial lightning stroke which forms when the atoms and molecules are going from neutral air to electrically charged ones.
Next is what is called Ground-to-Cloud Lightning. This is similar to the above, except the leader is upward-moving which originates from an object on the ground (such as an antenna, or pole). This is a common type of lightning strike in areas with tall towers and skyscrapers.
The third type discussed is Intracloud Lightning. This is considered the most common and is when you have lightning inside a single storm clod which jumps between different charge regions in the cloud. This can also be referred to as “sheet lightning” when the clouds are illuminated but the actual lightning channel is inside or below the horizon and not visible.
The fourth type is called Anvil Crawlers. This type of lighting is horizontal in nature and “tree-like”. The lightning is “in-cloud” and the leader propagation is resolvable to the human eye. Anvil Crawler can also be referred to as “rocket lightning”, or “crawlers” since they often cover large distances creating a spectacular sky-filled light show.
Next type is called Bolt from the Blue. This type of lightning is a name give to a cloud-to-ground lightning discharge that can strike far away from the actual “parent” thunderstorm. This bolt comes from the highest portion of the cumulonimbus cloud and travels horizontally a good distance away before making its vertical descent to the ground. This can be very dangerous as people will gain they are safe from the storm. The bolt can travel as far as 10 miles away and even in locations with obvious “blue” skies.
The last type I will go over is called Ball Lightning. This is the rarest form of lightning there is and is sometimes described as a floating, illuminated sphere or “ball”. This “ball” has been known to move hasty, slow or can even stay stationary. It can also be quiet, have a hissing sound or crackling noise. There have never been any definitive photographs which have been taken nor do the scientists have any explanation as to how this type can occur. For this reason, it’s proof of existence remains in examine and it and does not have noteworthy more credibility than UFO’s.
Lightning Facts and Statistics
Odds of getting struck by lightning in the United States is 1 in 700,000 in a given single year
Odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime is 1 in 5,000
A Lightning hurry is 50,000 degrees which is said to be 5 times hotter than the sun.
The average bolt of lightning can light a 100 watt light bulb for 3 months.
The average length of a bolt is 6 miles long; some have been reported as long as 75 miles at Cape Canaveral Dwelling Center.
A lightning bolt is only about as thick as a silver dollar.
Top 3 states for deaths caused by lightning strikes in order are Florida, Texas and North Carolina
Florida has about 12 strikes for every square mile per year making it the highest in the U.S.
8 million lightning strikes each day in the world
Lightning kills more people than tornadoes and hurricanes combined.
Lightning Oddities
Many lightning strike survivors, right before being struck, reported that their hair was standing on end and had a metallic taste in their mouth.
Lightning turns any water into steam which causes objects to explode; some people have been known to have their clothes blown off due to sweat/water vaporizing and creating a steam explosion.
1% of all deaths in the U.S. are from people talking on a corded phone during an electrical storm.
80% of accidental livestock deaths are from lightning strikes.
Roy Sullivan, a park ranger, was struck by lightning 7 times between 1942 and 1977.
Steve Ely Who Was Struck by Lightning in 1977 (Stats: Lived in Florida, was playing golf)
Steve was golfing with his brother and the weather was pretty good when they began, just a few clouds and some sprinkles. By the time they got to the 2nd green, the sky began to darken quickly and started to pour. At this time Steve and his brother began to walk back toward the club house to seek shelter and objective then Steve saw a bolt hit just outside the course. This is when he got very nervous and they began to hurry along. His brother was a little ways behind him as he was having trouble with his umbrella. Steve was moving faster now and he described himself as a human lightning rod (wearing metal spiked shoes, had braces on his teeth, carrying a metal tipped umbrella and a bag of golf clubs); not the ideal region.
Suddenly….”I remember a blinding flash of light and honest this indescribably feeling of having something go through my body and knock me to the ground. I don’t know if it knocked me to the ground or not, but it couldn’t have been for that long. I remember coming to just lying on the ground, disoriented, with no feeling in my body. For a brief moment, I concept to myself I might be dead.”
Amazingly enough, all he ended up with were some 3rd degree burns on the top of his feet, there the lightning exited and a big gash on his palm which took a couple dozen stitches to cessation up. Steve had to use crutches for a couple of weeks while he healed, but regained all the feeling in his limbs. To this day Steve Ely is extremely scared of lightning and it has affected some of the outdoor activities he likes to do, but lucky to be alive.
Symptoms and Common Injuries from Lightning Strike Survivors
Muscle Danger, may be cramp like and can be intense
Tingling Sensations
Loss or Alterations of Senses; eyesight or hearing problems, inability to feel heat or cold
Dizziness
Disorientation
Headaches
Seizures
Mental Depression
Cardiac or Respiratory Arrest
Central Nervous System damage
Burns
Deafness or Hearing Loss
Blindness or Loss of Eyesight
Muscle and/or Ligament Tearing, Bone Fractures; usually causes by violent muscle contractions
Lightning is a fascinating weather phenomenon, but it must be taken seriously and you need to take all the precautions. Do not talk on a corded phone during an electrical storm and stand away from the windows and a few feet away from appliances. The safest place to be, if you are outside, is in a car. Most people reflect that the rubber tires are what save you from the electrical currents, but it is actually the body of the vehicle. The lightning actually will be attracted to the metal and it will run right around you. Just make sure you don’t touch any metal surface when this is happening. If you are out in the open and walking around with no shelter close by, crouch down on the balls of your feet, hands on your knees with your head down. Get as low as possible without your hands or knees touching the ground. Be safe, be aware and monitor the weather situations before heading to outdoor activities.
Sources:
“Lightning”, National Geographic Society copyright 2009
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/lightning-profile.html
Storm Highway by Dan Robinson, “Lightning Survivors”
http://wvlightning.com/survivor.shtml
Storm Highway by Dan Robinson, “Lightning Types and Classifications”
http://wvlightning.com/types.shtml
Tags:
golf basics,
golf drivers,
hybrid golf clubs,
Types Of Golf Clubs
Related Posts
