It's Thunderstorm Season Again! Do you love them as much as I do?
By DarlingGirl
@DarlingGirl (745)
United States
April 2, 2007 6:57pm CST
I'm not kidding. I love a thunderstorm. I always have, ever since I was little girl. In Rockville Centre, Long Island I grew up on a very old farmhouse that had a south-facing front porch. I used to sit under it on hot summer nights and watch the show, every evening, same time - 6 o'clock on the dot, the storms would start, and not stop until about 8:30pm. I'd have my iced tea in hand and popcorn at the ready!
I have seen a rapid downturn in the frequency of spring and summer storms in the past ten years. Sometimes I wonder if it's global warming, or just a cyclical rotation of dry spells to overly stormy spells.
Four years ago we had a very active summer, and got several very bad storms that I was (unfortunately?) able to view in a car - that was scary. There were hits only yards away from the car. It was loud and a little frightening, but I was amazed by the force that was displayed.
Now that I live near a tall radio tower further out on Long Island, I find that every storm will usually hit the tower, giving me a bird's eye view of some amazing lightning bolts. I never fail to turn out the lights and head for my living room, where I can watch the show like I did when I was little girl.
Last night we had our first official thunderstorm, and the lightning as well as the thunder was quite violent. Mostly it appeared to be manifesting itself over the bay, and did not go directly overhead of my house.
Two more nights till the next big storm is due, and I can't wait. A night without a thunderstorm seems boring to me!
So, do you like thunderstorms, have you ever done any photography of a storm, and have you seen an upsurge or down-surge in the number of storms where you live?
3 responses
@willfe (149)
• United States
3 Apr 07
To be honest, thunderstorms scare the living !@#$ out of me, but they're still amazing and impressive and I can't drag myself away from them. Granted, I hide indoors to watch them, but I do still watch them. I moved from Colorado to Florida, momentarily forgetting that there are *more* thunderstorms here than there were even Colorado.
I've been chased by tornados, caught in tropical storms (no hurricanes yet, but I'm sure that's coming), bonked in the head by hail, and rained on (lots of rain). I can't say I'd have it any other way.
Thunderstorms remain one of the most "in-your-face" reminder of the power the world around us can summon. They last awhile, they dump lots of rain, blow lots of wind, drop lots of lightning, and occasionally even kill people. We're skilled enough to see them coming, so we can take cover (i.e. they don't have to kill us), but they can get nasty and easily pick us off if we get stupid about them.
I've never had an opportunity (either I don't have the right gear or I don't know how to properly "protect" what I have against the elements) to take pictures of a good storm, but it's something I'd enjoy doing if I could figure out how to do it without damaging my gear or getting killed myself :)
1 person likes this
@DarlingGirl (745)
• United States
3 Apr 07
Yep, I've just discovered through the magic of the Internet that I'd need a camera that I'd be able to control the shutter speed on, and right now my digital doesn't do that! I wonder when they'll get to that...
Besides that you need a tripod and a shutter remote, and these freaking digitals were not made for that either.
Guess I'll have to wait. *sigh!*
@DarlingGirl (745)
• United States
3 Apr 07
You're gonna flip, but I just found out the specs on my digital camera are fine for lightning photography...it's ISO100, which is what's needed, and the Shutter Speed f5 will be okay in Telephoto mode, and you're supposed to take it on "Bulb" or "Flash" mode, so that's okay, and low! It's got a tripod socket - it just doesn't have a remote plunger socket.
So I may be able to take some lightning photos...maybe.
The last thing needed is a dark place, so that the light from the lightning is the only light to go into the camera.
I'll report on it after our next good storm. :P
@supercell1970 (18)
• United States
23 May 10
I fear lightning, but only when I am outside in the storm. The odds of being
struck are quite high in a severe thunderstorm with frequent lightning.
I found a picture of a man that was hit by a fairly large bolt and he had
a 3rd degree burn that was solid black, like a piece of burnt toast that
covered his entire right leg. Wouldn't want to be out there unless it's just
a rain shower.
@supercell1970 (18)
• United States
23 May 10
Hi, I am an amateur meteorologist and study geophysics. I also develop weather
forecasting and analysis applications. If you have any questions about weather,
I am one you might want to talk to. I love thunderstorms too. They are most fascinating. One severe thunderstorm could power an entire city for a few minutes.
Darran
