On my way into the new office this morning, I stopped off and headed into the local overpriced coffee shop establishment. Just as I ordered, there was a flash and the loudest boom I've heard or felt. The lights dimmed, everyone nearly hit the dirt, and our ears collectively filled with that familiar post-concert ringing. Lightning must've struck literally right outside the door. Never experienced anything like it.
I of course, looked it up a few minutes ago:
How far away was the last lightning bolt?
How close was that lightning bolt you just saw hit the ground? Count the seconds between the flash and the bang, and divide by 5, and you have the answer in miles. Sound travels at about a mile in five seconds, so by timing the interval between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder is a pretty good indicator of how close you were to the strike point. If the flash-to-bang time is 30 seconds or less, the last strike was within 5 miles. And statistically in many storms, the following strike usually strikes about to 3 to 5 miles from the last…meaning you could be next!
We didn't need any 5's. It was literally flash, bang. And it sort of smelled funny after too. I'm fairly certain I've come as close as I'd ever like to being struck by lightning.
2 comments:
Just validates the point that you should stay in doors when there is lightning around, which I'm sure your mother always told you. Glad you are okay!
Lightning hit a lamppost outside my office in TN once, and I felt it coming. So strange - all the hair on my arms stood straight up and I got really hot. So I slid out of my chair b/c I thought I was fainting...and not 2 seconds later, lightning struck and the resulting atmospheric energy shattered the window next to my desk. It was crazy! And the ringing in my ears....oy.
Glad to hear that everyone was alright!
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