Thunderstorms and Lightnings

Last year summer thunderstorm by LadyDuck
By Anna
@LadyDuck (483534)
Italy
April 25, 2019 8:01am CST
Thunderstorm season is coming. I have always feared lightnings, they can cause serious damages to a house and they also kill. Before Benjamin Franklin invented the lighting rod, there were weird superstition about how to be safe during a thunderstorm. The ancient Romans believed that sleeping people were protected from lightning. The tehory was that, the vital spirit gets out from a sleeping body, therefore the body does not oppose resistance to lightning and it is safe. They also believed that a sea lion skin protected against lightning. Emperor Augustus always wore one during thunderstorms. It was common belief that laurel protected against lightning. This is why emperor Tiberius used to wear a laurel crown during the thunderstorms. Of course none of those "tricks" work, but staying away from water and avoiding to use electronic equipment helps.
111 people like this
119 responses
@DianneN (247157)
• United States
25 Apr 19
Interesting facts. I grew up living close to the water and beaches, so I knew not to boat or swim then. Also, hiding under a tree is dangerous. My father’s grandfather was at the kitchen sink while praying (he was a rabbi), when a bolt of lightning came through the window and burned a hole at the wooden table where my father was sitting. No one was hurt, and the prayers were unbroken.
13 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I stay far from the water and I do not play golf during a thunderstorm. A lightning came down through the fireplace chimney in the farm of my grandparents, it went out from the door and cut in two piece the apricot tree facing the door.
7 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
@DianneN The big trees are dangerous, one of my neighbor had to cut half of his laurel tree hit by lightning. The car is one of the safest places, the lightning will travel around the surface and then go to ground.
6 people like this
@DianneN (247157)
• United States
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck Big trees are dangerous. We had so many cut down around the house. Our son had all huge trees removed from his new house. They have about 7 more to do. If they get hit, the trees would definitely fall on the house. I get scared from lightning.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64348)
• United Kingdom
25 Apr 19
I actually quite enjoy thunder and lightning - provided I'm safe inside!
12 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I only fear to be outside in an open field or near water, when I am in my bed I like it.
10 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
@jaboUK Now it's pouring, no thunders, I like the sound of the rain on the roof.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64348)
• United Kingdom
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck Me too.
5 people like this
• Preston, England
25 Apr 19
Standing on top of a hill in copper underwear yelling all gods are stupid doesn't help during thunder storms either
7 people like this
• Preston, England
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck until you get 30,000 volts anyway
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
@arthurchappell No, this is not funny at all and wearing copper underwear will not help for sure.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
It does not help, but it could be amusing.
3 people like this
@Juliaacv (54985)
• Canada
25 Apr 19
One home which we lived in had a wood stove insert in the stone fireplace in the basement. There was a big wood stove steel pipe that ran from the ground level up along the side of the house to the specific level required for the building code. One summer's night, we were having a terrible thunderstorm, and our son was quite young, and he was afraid, which never happened, so we let him lay on the living room floor a bit past his bedtime. While he was lying there our power quickly flickered off and then back on again. We had a lightening strike our woodstove pipe. That pipe was made up of 3 feet sections, and the sections were scattered everywhere and did cause some damage to the evestrough as well as some of the vinyl siding where pieces hit it on their way down. I remember the rest of the night that we were so afraid, we all slept together in our bed.
10 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
That was a scary experience. During one summer, while we were at my grandmother farm, during the nigh a lightning came down from the fireplace, hit the wooden door going outside in the garden and ended on the tree in front of the door. We all had a big scare.
6 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
@TheHorse I do not reply to the landline phone if there is a thunderstorm.
4 people like this
@TheHorse (230507)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck I once saw a blue arc between the telephone and...it may have been the radio. This was up at the cabin in Montana.
3 people like this
• United States
25 Apr 19
Those really are some weird superstitions about lightening. Even though thunderstorms are dangerous some of the lightening they produce is amazing. I'd never want to be a storm chaser
7 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
@Marilynda1225 My great fear is the hail, we had very big hail stones a few years ago.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I am attracted by the color of the sky, but I fear the lightnings, even if I like the thunder during summer.
3 people like this
• United States
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck we've had some very fierce storms here in the past. I'm hoping this season isn't too bad and that we have a better summer than last year.
2 people like this
@thelme55 (77691)
• Germany
25 Apr 19
It is very interesting to hear what those prominent people did during lightning. I am scared of lightning. Thanks for the heads up Anna.
7 people like this
@jobelbojel (36839)
• Philippines
28 Apr 19
@thelme55 what do you during lightning and thunderstorms?
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I am also scared of lightning, I thought to install a lightning rod, but it is too much expensive.
3 people like this
@thelme55 (77691)
• Germany
26 Apr 19
@cacay1 Indeed. No chance at all.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45113)
• Canada
25 Apr 19
I have always enjoyed a good lightning and thunderstorm. There is something exciting about it. Of course, I like to be in a safe place when one occurs.
5 people like this
@1hopefulman (45113)
• Canada
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck Of course! Do you have a lightning rod on your roof? Has a house in your area ever been hit by lightning?
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
26 Apr 19
@1hopefulman I know that the house is "wired" to be protected against the lightning. It's not a lightning rod is a more bit sophisticated and safer. Yes a house in our area has been hit last year, a big hole in the roof. It is a much older house than ours.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I want to be in a safe place, hoping that it will not dig a hole in our roof.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Apr 19
It is interesting to hear about what people believed in years gone by. Things that we know now are just old wives tales. It is amazing that these people managed to not get struck by lightning.
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
There are not many people killed by lightning, most of them are "golf players", ancient Romans did not play golf.
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
26 Apr 19
@TheHorse I played gold in the rain, but not if there is a thunderstorm, you become a "human lightning rod" with your club in your hand.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (230507)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck Heh. I do not play golf in the rain!
3 people like this
@simone10 (54182)
• Louisville, Kentucky
25 Apr 19
I don't care too much for thunderstorms but we did have a couple come through last night. Bella always gets upset and barks every time she hears thunder. Daisy runs and hides unless I am by her side.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I was surprised to see that the cats of my neighbors did not care at all.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
@simone10 They were born last September, this was their first thunderstorm.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54182)
• Louisville, Kentucky
25 Apr 19
@LadyDuck that is surprising. Maybe they are just use to it.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
25 Apr 19
that is very interesting Anna thank you keeping us on our toes.Good stuff
5 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
Good morning Alfredo, thank you. The ancient Romans were weird.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
26 Apr 19
@lyndakerby Well in your country you splash vinegar on the wall, it's also something weird.
3 people like this
@just4him (318791)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Apr 19
I hope you will have a safe season.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
26 Apr 19
It is too early to know, last year we had many thunderstorms but no hail, this is what I fear most.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
26 Apr 19
@just4him I should had not mentioned "hail" we are having hail right now.
1 person likes this
@just4him (318791)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Apr 19
@LadyDuck Hail can be very damaging.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (124755)
• United States
25 Apr 19
I love thunderstorms.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I have to say that I love the sound of thunders and the rain on the roof. I like less when big hail stones come down.
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
18 Jun 19
I do too---so exciting but yes we can't be silly and go out in them- but I do really love them!
1 person likes this
@Sojourn (13835)
• India
25 Apr 19
Interesting info.....I guess not standing beside a tall structure also helps.
5 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
Staying under a tall tree is very dangerous.
4 people like this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
25 Apr 19
One of our two dos freaks out during thunderstorms. We ended up creating a quiet room for her to go to!
3 people like this
@FourWalls (78747)
• United States
25 Apr 19
My dog could sense them coming, and she would start nudging my leg as a signal to go sit in the hallway and hold her until the storm passed.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
thought that the atomic shelter was a good idea, but I think that concrete walls are not so safe after all.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
@FourWalls The dog of my niece was terrified by storms.
2 people like this
@much2say (57781)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Apr 19
I wonder if there would be any modern tricks that actually worked (well, I wouldn't want to be the one to try out any theories ). So many funny superstitions to us, but they must've been quite serious about them! Stay safe!
2 people like this
@much2say (57781)
• Los Angeles, California
28 Apr 19
@LadyDuck I guess that was the logic back then . . . and if no one was getting struck as they thought they were protected, then it was never discredited for a long time .
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
28 Apr 19
@much2say Most of the time people sleep "inside the house", I am not surprised that they were safe from lightning.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
27 Apr 19
I am sure they were quite serious about this, also because a couple of Roman Emperors were killed by lightnings. They surely offended Jupiter.
1 person likes this
@tammys85 (30635)
• Baltimore, Maryland
6 Jun 19
I don't mind thunder and lightning, but I understand that others don't like them. I hope you haven't been getting a lot of lightning.
2 people like this
@tammys85 (30635)
• Baltimore, Maryland
10 Jun 19
@LadyDuck Oh I know, you mentioned the possible damage in your post. I would be afraid of it too if it happened before, especially since I worry a lot. I hope the thunderstorm wasn't too bad!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
10 Jun 19
@tammys85 It was not too bad, a lot of noise but I have not seen lightnings too close.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
6 Jun 19
I am not scared because of the noise, I am scared because lightnings can make a lot of damages. Two years ago one hit a house near us, it made a big hole in the roof and damaged the attic. Today we are going to have a thunderstorm.
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
25 Apr 19
Wow, those are very different but interesting things they believed about lightning. Lol. I don't like lightning either, I'm just very cautious.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
I hide inside the home, I stay away from the windows, I close everywhere.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (53441)
• United States
29 Apr 19
We get a lot of both here in Mississippi.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
29 Apr 19
We get a lot here during summer, if I feel safe, I love thunderstorms.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
30 Apr 19
@Tampa_girl7 I am scared if I am outside.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (53441)
• United States
29 Apr 19
@LadyDuck they only frighten me if I am caught outside.
2 people like this
@Fleura (32569)
• United Kingdom
25 Apr 19
The saying that 'lightning never strikes twice' is also not true. Whatever made the lightning strike a place once, is likely to have the same effect again!
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
25 Apr 19
You are right, there is a wooden shack 20 miles from here, up in the mountains, it has already been struck three times.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40586)
• Laguna Woods, California
2 May 19
@LadyDuck - I've always been a bit afraid of lightning, too. When we lived in Texas, we had it all the time. Now that we live in Southern California, we go years without seeing lightning, and that is just fine with me!
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
2 May 19
We have the habit here surrounded by the Alps, from May to October we have so many thunderstorms.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (483534)
• Italy
3 May 19
@DeborahDiane There is one starting right now, I do not see the lightnings but I hear the thunders, it is approaching.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
2 May 19
@LadyDuck - When we lived in Texas we had many thunderstorms, too. They can occasionally be somewhat scary!
1 person likes this