Majorly cool - except for the going blind part

We just had a thoroughly wicked thunderstorm come through the area. I shut down nearly everything in the house, computers, AC's, TV's; the lightning was incredible. I started hearing what sounded like hail starting to fall, so I looked out the front storm door to watch the weather.

That is when a bolt of lightning hit a huge old black walnut tree just across the road, about 50 yards away. It was just a single instant, but I remember every tiny bit of it. The bark of the tree just seemed to burst apart, like tearing paper, and the glow of the lightning could be seen through the tears coursing down the core wood of the tree. And then, I had to wait for my vision to come back. I'd never seen a flash so bright.

That was my very first eye-witness lightning strike. T'was very very cool.

That would be SOOOO cool to see!!

Yikes!!! My Mom saw lightning hit a tree once like that. I've saw the 'fire ball' it can make when I was probably 5ish.

That is too cool! Did you feel your hair standing up or feel "prickly" before it struck?

We had a really nasty storm come through last saturday, and the thunder woke me up so I was half awake, half asleep. All of a sudden my skin felt really prickly and I was wide awake....seconds later there was a HUGE crash..lightning and thunder at the same time. The blinds were closed and, truthfully, at that point I was hiding under the covers, so I couldn't see. Now I wish I had looked out.

Here, the windmill on top of the abandoned house on the other side of the road got hit! It's only 30-35 ft away from our house. It's a metal windmill and it has been hit many times. You can tell it was hit because one of the wings is now damaged, and it is closer to the edge of the roof than it was before. I'm all for climbing up and moving it back...just keep the lighting rod away from my house!

We also found at least 2 trees that were damaged but I didn't get to see that

I have a very healthy respect for Mother Nature! Glad it didn't hit closer to your house (but that would have been SOOO cool to see!)

If you're in a boat out on a lake in the middle of a lightning storm, you'll definitely have all your hairs standing on end and get all staticky. You kind of feel it waft over you, almost like you stepped into a cloud of bugs. Very scary feeling.

Skippy, what a wonderful description! I know what you mean about the incredible detail you see in a moment like that... it's as if time telescopes and you see it in slowmotion. Glad your eyes are okay now!

WOW!! How cool! That was some perfect timimg, huh??

Wow, very cool! I'm glad you're okay though...that was a close one, huh?

My brother had the same "pleasure" when we were kids, and lightening hit the huge tree in front of the house. Scared the crap out of him. Scared the crap out of all of us, including our black lab, Sam, who instantly jumped on my lap and tried to climb inside the cardigan sweater I was wearing...poor thing!

Wow, that's cool!!! I really miss the thunderstorms we would see back home. At my nan's house which is on the coast, you could see them rolling in and the lightning and thunder would be so impressive. I haven't seen any good thunderstorms since I've been in California!

What did the kitties think of it all??

Wow! That sounds awesome. I love a good lightening show. I prefer if it's a little further away though. Hope your eyes are ok now- you should only look at soothing things like your kitties today to let them them rest.

I thought I was over my fear of storms until monday when one was right above us and every single loud crack came at the same time as a brilliant bright flash, I just turned off everything electric and sat in the middle of the floor petting the cat...yeah I know how silly that sounds now, but i was really terrified for about 15 minutes!

soooo cool!!

I have seen lightning strike like that once before, i was driving down the road that the lightning hit RIGHT in front of the car, on the road!!! i was blinded for a sec, but it was wayyyy cool. the hair on my arms and neck was on end for a while after,lol.

Originally Posted by My cat Mellow

I thought I was over my fear of storms until monday when one was right above us and every single loud crack came at the same time as a brilliant bright flash, I just turned off everything electric and sat in the middle of the floor petting the cat...yeah I know how silly that sounds now, but i was really terrified for about 15 minutes!

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That doesn't sound silly at all! I think that was the same storm band that came through here and they were wicked. Turning off the electric was a very good idea, and I'm sure you calmed down the kitty...and vise versa.

That is so cool! We don't have major thunder storms here, if even any - they are so rare here in Christchurch.

I remember one when I was driving from Morganton NC, to home, in Asheville, NC and we stopped at a gas station so the ladies could pee.

I was sitting in the car with my hubby and another couple and we were waiting to move when lightning struck just in front of us - the whole area went white all around us - it was SO amazing! And the feeling of it was just eerie, and the thunder was loud, of course - it felt like the car jumped! A poor bloke was standing beside the car - he got a major fright! It was funny.

My Mom recalls (from her childhood) when lightning struck a huge oak tree about 50 feet from the house. They didn't see it but heard the tree explode. She said they were picking up pieces of that tree for a while.

Definitely cool. Especially since you weren't hit!

That is cool!!!! My and my DH love stuff like that. One night we had a major electrical storm and were out there for a couple hours taking shots with the camera and got a couple of really cool ones. It did do a number on one of the cameras though, it just wasn't right for a few weeks after that! Was there any damage to any houses from the tree? Or was everyone ok?