Ever had an experience like this?

We have had lightning to strike a pine tree in our back yard, but the noise was nothing like this one. We were sitting at the kitchen table years ago when that one struck. But it was also thundering and raining really hard. Today, it was weird in that nothing was going on. That is very scarey. I hadn't thought about the lightning striking from the bottom, but I guess you are right. And then it just goes up the tree, or the person.

I just looked up lightning, whether it hit from top to bottom, or ground to sky. It can happen either way, according to the Weather information. But, this tree was definitely hit from top to bottom. It started with a small streak and got larger as it got to the ground. The bottom part is about 4 inches wide and the bark was torn downward. The Weather information says: An entire lightning strike employs both upward and downward moving forces. However, the return stroke of a lightning bolt travels FROM THE GROUND INTO THE CLOUD and accounts for more that 99% of the luminosity of a lightning strike. What we SEE as lightning does indeed travel from the ground into the cloud. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/lightning/lightning_faq.htm There is information on what to do if you find yourself outside and no way to get to a safe place. But never lay flat on the ground. It says that, when lightning strikes the ground, it can be fatal up to 100 feet away.

copy that. I just popped over to that website. Now, I think I can explain to someone why we think lightning comes from the sky. If I remember anything at all after staying on mylot all day!

I happened to be driving during the hail storm. There were many vehicles parked under the bridge. I was terrified my windows would bust from the hail, but I made it home dent free.

I just looked this up because someone else above had said that. But I found, from the Weather information, that it can happen both ways. Look at the link I left above on this information. I did read that people from Florida, especially in the Central part, are more apt to be hit by lightning bolts because they spend more of their time outside.

Goodness. I know that had to really scare them. I know it would have me. My grandchildren have a friend who was out on the porch with his Dad. I think they were barbecuing. Anyway, a lightning bolt hit the boy and he lost both and arm and leg. But the boy, who I think was a senior this year, has not let it affect him. He wears the leg prosthesis, but he hardly ever wears his arm, and neither of them slow that boy down. He's just a joy to be around, a big cut up.

Well, you never know when something might happen. So I can't sit around and worry my life away. We just take precautions when we know for sure something could happen. And we tell the kids never to think they are perfectly safe, and come in when they see clouds coming in or hear thunder in the distance. IT can be here in just a few minutes. As with this, it can come without any bad weather at all. We still haven't had anything here this afternoon.

I keep hearing people say that lightning only strikes from the ground up, but that's not what I'm finding. They tell you to stay away from the tallest trees in a lightning storm. The tree in our yard that got hit today was the tallest tree in that area. Here are some things I just found out about lightning: Kinds of contact: 1. Direct strike: bolt hits the person, often to the head if the person was standing 2. Contact voltage: lightning hits something that a person is touching (golf club, umbrella, a wired telephone) and enters the body. 3. Flashover or splash voltage: when lightning hits a nearby object (tree, pole, wire fence) and then arcs over to a person. 4. Step or ground voltage: occurs when lightning hits the ground and the current fans out in all directions. The magnitude of damage will vary with the local conditions (wet/dry), orientation of the person (standing/lying) and distance from the source. This kind of contact can affect several individuals at once. Also, here are some things to avoid during a lightning storm: * avoid high ground - get to a low area, a ravine or ditch. Lightning often strikes the higher objects in the area. * avoid wide open areas (fields or beaches) - so you are not the tallest object in the vicinity; get off the water if you are in an open boat, get out of the water if you are swimming in a lake or pool. * avoid being close to tall objects - light pole, an individual tree or small group of trees. Tall objects are more likely to be struck by lightning than low objects. It might be safer to enter a forested area if it is relatively large and the trees are similar in height but stay away from the tallest trees in the forest. * avoid small open buildings - a bus or rain shelter * avoid metal fences or bleachers - a metal fence may be struck far away from you and the current may travel along the fence and jump to you. I keep seeing the warning to stay away from tall objects or anything metal.