How Far Away From A Thunderstorm Do You Have To Be To Be Safe From Lightning?

[Cypress Sun]

Evidently, you need to be 478 miles away. The record for the longest lightning bolt travel has now been set at 477 miles that spanned three states.

 

In Florida, I always figured that if you could hear thunder clearly, you weren't in a safe location if you were outside. I always tried to go inside if I could see the lightning flash and could count five seconds (or less) until you heard the thunder. That meant you were a mile or less from the strike. I wasn't always able to get inside and have witnessed some scary close, hair raising (literally) strikes on more than one occasion. 

 

Story below

 

https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/ap-top-news/2022/02/01/longest-lightning-bolt-record-477-miles-over-3-states

[Dusty Devil Dale]

I knew a woman who received what her climbing partners called a "minor lightening strike" while wall climbing in Yosemite.  She walked away alive, but within two months she became permanently totally deaf and blind.  Eventually committed suicide about two years later.  Lightening isn't something to mess with. 

[Singin' Sue 71615]

I was always told "if you can see it 'hit the ground'...you're too close"

 

We have a friend that no one sits by him at games.

He's been struck by lightning twice!!!

[Pat Riot]

I had lightning strike the lake I was boating in 100 yards from me. My legs tingled. I was in an Aluminum boat when a storm rolled in on Lake Norman in North Carolina.

What a harrowing trip back to the landing. Whew! Invigorating, to say the least. 

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

I was struck in the head by a massive lightning bolt, but you can clearly see that I am fine.

 

 

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

1 hour ago, Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 said:

I was struck in the head by a massive lightning bolt, but you can clearly see that I am fine.

 

 

I don't think it counts if you personally call it down!

Regards

   

Gateway Kid

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

Many moons ago my father had an Econoline pickup truck. We had been camping in the mountains and a pretty good thunderstorm was coming down the valley so we packed into the truck (Dad, Mom, Brother and I) to wait it out. Had been in there about 15 minutes and a dazzling flash struck a tree growing out from some rocks, about 30 feet in front of us, and at the same time we heard BOOM!  The windshield disintegrated as a rock about the size of a baseball hit it dead center. Later figured out that the heat of the bolt striking the tree turned the water in the cracks and crevices of the rocks into steam and launched several pieces everywhere. After cleaning various undergarments we checked out the tree, which was still smoldering, and found the piece embedded in what was left of the windshield. That piece is still at my mom's place in her iris beds.

Have seen numerous close strikes in my days of climbing fourteeners.

Best advice there is you should be heading down by noon because the afternoon storms come in pretty quickly.

Needless to say I still have a healthy respect for lightening!

Regards

   

Gateway Kid

[Dusty Devil Dale]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I had lightning strike the lake I was boating in 100 yards from me. My legs tingled. I was in an Aluminum boat when a storm rolled in on Lake Norman in North Carolina.

What a harrowing trip back to the landing. Whew! Invigorating, to say the least. 

About 35 years ago, I was steelhead fishing on the Stellako River, BC, in a fierce lightning storm.  I was waist deep in waders in strong current.  The river quickly became muddy, and the storm had big fish moving and feeding, even bumping into my waders -- the chance of a lifetime to catch a 30#+ steelhead. 

My wife was hollering at me to get out of the water, but I stayed there casting and retrieving.  For over an hour, thunder came at about the same time as the Lightening strikes, which were many.  I didn't get struck, but did catch my 30# steelie! A very memorable (if not foolish) day!  

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Where I work, anything closer than 5 miles is when the warning notices go out.

[Utah Bob #35998]

In the wildfire meteorology class they put the minimum safe distance at 10 miles from a visible storm front. Don’t be fooled by clear blue sky above you. In my park ranger days I had some uncomfortably close calls. 

[Pat Riot]

59 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

I didn't get struck, but did catch my 30# steelie! A very memorable (if not foolish) day!  

Then it was worth it. 

 

 

[Eyesa Horg]

When I was a phone guy, they told us at Safety meetings if a thunderstorm was within 10 miles we shouldn't touch the cable or be up on poles.

When thunderstorms strike and fry the protectors on the house and burn cable, guess what? We all have to go out and restore service. Apparently lightning right on top of you is OK, just stay away from it when it's 10 miles down the road.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

6 hours ago, Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 said:

I was struck in the head by a massive lightning bolt, but you can clearly see that I am fine.

 

 

That's what happens when you provoke things and stir the pot!

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

It can even happen in clear air. Scroll a bit to see the video.

 

https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/bolt-out-of-blue-viral-video-captures-freak-lightning-striking-down-palm-tree-on-clear-day-2792171.html

[Dusty Devil Dale]

4 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Then it was worth it. 

 

 

YES !!!!!

[Last Call Saul]

I was smoking a cigar during a summer storm, sitting in my garage, right by the open garage door when lightning hit and disintegrated the tree on the other side of street in 50 feet from where I sat. My ears rang for the rest of the day and I had to put new underwear on, but otherwise I was OK

[Michigan Slim]

4 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Then it was worth it. 

 

 

 

Gotta agree.

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

Lightning struck the house across the street. It did some structural damage all around the house and damaged most of the major appliances. At our house, I was in the attic checking for rain water leaking in the attic. I thought I touched a sharp edge of some ducting but it was actually an electrical shock. It damaged our dryer, the refrigerator and knocked out some light bulbs. Another neighbor had an internet antennae damaged. Another had his fuse box damaged and another had some minor damage as well.

[Dantankerous]

Been in Colorado and had close calls several times. In the mountains storms can blow in quickly from where you cannot see them.

 

I have a friend who got hit by lightening several years back while coaching a kid's baseball game. Before that he was a hairy guy. Very shortly after he developed Alopecia and no longer has a single hair on his body. He blames the strike... no idea if that has anything to do with it. His wife is jealous as his legs are smoother than hers now.

[Howlin Mad Murdock SASS #4037]

In Aviation, we get a warning when lightning is within 10 miles, and no refueling allowed.

 

When lightning is within 5 miles no one is allowed out on the flightline.

 

We get some doozies out here.

 

[Singin' Sue 71615]

10 hours ago, Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 said:

I was struck in the head by a massive lightning bolt, but you can clearly see that I am fine.

 

 

Is that a shot from the movie Powder???

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

11 hours ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

Is that a shot from the movie Powder???

?????????

[Sedalia Dave]

Cousins house had one of those rural internet antennas on a 20 foot mast on top of the house that took a lightning strike. Left a hole in the roof, ceiling and the concrete slab. Destroyed every appliance in the house that was plugged in. In addition to the structural repairs they had to completely rewire the house. Only thing left of the antenna and mast was a couple feet of guy wire, and a few charred remains of the coax.

[Singin' Sue 71615]

1 hour ago, Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 said:

?????????

There is a movie called Powder...

About an individual that attracts lightning.

 

The photo looks like it came from that movie.

[Singin' Sue 71615]

12 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Cousins house had one of those rural internet antennas on a 20 foot mast on top of the house that took a lightning strike. Left a hole in the roof, ceiling and the concrete slab. Destroyed every appliance in the house that was plugged in. In addition to the structural repairs they had to completely rewire the house. Only thing left of the antenna and mast was a couple feet of guy wire, and a few charred remains of the coax.

Daddy's Pine tree in the front yard took a lightning blast.

His neighbor called me and said I may want to come check on things as daddy was pretty riled.

So, Shanley and I packed a bag and headed the 4 hours North.

 

Yup...Fire Dept stayed long enough to make sure no fire was in the tree.

All electronics in the house, from the phone to the doorbell were gone.

Sad thing is the neighbors electric on their truck was gone too! Their driveway is about 8' from the tree.

 

Haven't been back since daddy passed, but I assume the new home owner has had the tree removed.

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

Back in the 60's, lightning hit a large tree where about 20 cows had sheltered. The tree exploded and killed all of the cows. My father and I went there with the wrecker and dragged all of the cows over to a pit to be buried.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

Whelp...the Little League and high school baseball rule books say 5 miles, so apparently we're screwed!