Topic: Awe Inspiring

[Dusthawk]

I just came inside from the most incredible Lightening and Thunder storm I have seen since I left Michigan in 1987. It started around one in the morning out here in California and is only now winding down at 2:45. There are still occasional flashes and intermittent rumblings, but for over an hour there was almost constant lightening from one area of the sky or another. Thunder rolled constantly and almost drowned out the sound of the powerful downpour than contained drops the size of quarters.

For several minutes there was also a mix of hail the size of nickels, and idiot me, I was out in the middle of the lawn when it started, lolol. All of the lightening was contained within the clouds and I love walking around in the rain, so I wanted to experience this wonderful phenomenon totally, so I got my swim trunks on and walked into the middle of the lawn. As soon as the hail started I started walking back to my porch when it came down in buckets, I got hit many times all over, and will probably bruise from a few of them, lol.

I set out my rain meter cup and in that short hour and forty five minutes it caught almost two inches of rain, that's how hard it was coming down. I stayed on my porch under cover of the awning but sat on my chair to continue to experience the raw power of nature. After about half an hour, the lower cloud layer started to dissipate and the bolts were revealed, jumping from cloud to cloud, brighter than an Arc welder, blinding me several times, and even knocking power out here in my trailer. I saw at least two bolts come down and hit somewhere further down my street.

I was floored by this experience. I have always been enthralled by the power nature can throw around and sit for hours watching lightening and thunder storms ever since I was a little kid in my home town in Michigan. My Mom would sit with me more often than not so we could share the experience. I just wanted to share this astounding event with people here, who might also find these storms so compelling. Tonight was definitely one to remember!

[Steve F]

That's cool!  Mother nature has never ending ways to "shock and awe".  I've only seen lightning like you describe once in my lifetime, and that was while we were sitting in an outdood theater waiting for the movie to start.  It was better than the movie, since I can't remember a thing about that.  The lightning seemed to crawl along the underside of the clouds, moving rather slowly for lightning, but the weird thing about it was ther was not much thunder to go along with the light show.  Really awesome stuff!
Steve F

[Glenn Stauffer]

Sounds like a very cool night!

I love thunderstorms and since we live in a narrow wooded valley, we get some impressive strikes on the surrounding hillsides which really adds to the experience.  The only bad thing about thunderstorms is that my one border collie starts to go nuts when she sense a storm coming and absolutely freaks out when there is thunder.  The only way to calm her down is to let her hide in a closet until the storm passes.

[flybox1]

One of my most terrifying experiences was being in one of those storms at ~7,000 ft in the Desolation Wilderness outside of Lake Tahoe.  We were on day 1 of a 6 day backpacking trip.  Rangers warned us of afternoon T-storms, but it was KAVU(Klear above, visibility unlimited) and 95F.  SHT....we were scrambling!  It came out of nowhere.  At that altitude, and higher, there isnt any cover. Me and a buddy huddled next to some wind/blown trees, covered our heads from grape-sized hail, and just waited it out.  I've been to a lot of rock concerts.  No band could ever produce that much noise! 

[333]

  The only bad thing about thunderstorms is that my one border collie starts to go nuts when she sense a storm coming and absolutely freaks out when there is thunder.  The only way to calm her down is to let her hide in a closet until the storm passes.

I wonder what it is about borders?  When I was a kid, we had one that would do just the same thing.  On Independence Day as well.  The thing he didn't know was that the closet he chose every time was the same closet that Dad stored all his ammo!

[kghost]

but it was KAVU(Klear above, visibility unlimited) and 95F.   

CAVU.

Ceilings And Visibility Unlimited.

[mattcb350f]

I also have a thunderstorm fetish. Ever since I was a kid I use to love going out and watching them...and I still do. It's been a while since we've had a good one in our area....nothing ever like you've experienced Dusthawk anyway 

CAVU.Ceilings And Visibility Unlimited.

That's what you call it down there eh'. In Canada it's CAVOK ..Ceilings and Visibility OK.  (Ok meaning +6sm and SKC.)