Really Cool Storm Image

[Belinda Barfield]

This is NOAA's weather image of the day. Our first tropical storm of the not yet season. Just thought it was a really neat image and wanted to share with any storm watchers here on the Creek. :)

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[Jim Becker]

That was probably why it was a little bumpy for a few minutes when we left Orlando last night.

[Jason Roehl]

I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't mind the occasional storm, especially the late-afternoon heavy rains in the summer that cool everything off. A female friend who is terrified of t-storms once called me during one, and I had to confess to her that I wasn't really the best person to be calling then, as I was standing at the screen door watching the storm, getting a little mist from it--enjoying every bit of it.

[Belinda Barfield]

That was probably why it was a little bumpy for a few minutes when we left Orlando last night.

Jim,
That would probably explain the bumps. Is Orlando still getting a lot of smoke from the wildfires? I know one of ours crossed over into Florida last night or early this a.m.


I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't mind the occasional storm, especially the late-afternoon heavy rains in the summer that cool everything off.

Count me in the weirdo faction as well Jason. I love a good storm, something I inherited from my dad. When I was a child I liked to sit in the swing on our front porch and watch the storms. My mother would yell from the middle of the living room floor for me to come in, but she wouldn't come out to get me. Go figure! She's terrified of thunder and lightening by the way.

[Jim Becker]

Is Orlando still getting a lot of smoke from the wildfires? I know one of ours crossed over into Florida last night or early this a.m.

Yesterday morning it was very smoky at the 'rents...just south of Ocala...both the haze and the smell.

[Joe Pelonio]

I was expecting it to be engraved on a marble tile or something. The weather continues to be odd this year. All the fires in southern CA going on, flooding in the plains, and here we're in the normally wet part of spring, and have beautiful sunny weather.

[Belinda Barfield]

Joe,

What a great idea!! I don't know if I am capable of such, but if I manage to pull it off I will post the pic.

[Ben Grunow]

I was storm watching in the driveway when I was about 18 and lightning hit the tree I was looking at about 80' from me. Split the tree (no, I didnt make a bat and win the World Series-got beat in the playoffs) and just left me seeing a lightning bolt when I closed my eyes for about 6 hours.

Oh and it was a "little" loud.

I still watch the storms by the way.

Ben

[Belinda Barfield]

I know what you mean about a little loud. When I lived "in the country" a number of years ago we had a particularly quick moving storm come through the area. I was sitting on the front porch with a beagle, two English Setter bird dogs, and a three legged rescue Golden Retriever. We had a lightening ground strike about 60 feet away. I don't remember moving, but somehow ended up in the middle of the living room floor with all four dogs trying to sit in my lap. Once I somewhat recovered my senses, it was pretty comical!

I'm actually hoping for no lightening from this storm, but a lot of rain would sure be a blessing. Predictions are for very little rainfall though.

[Belinda Barfield]

Jim,

This might explain why Orlando is really smoky right now. This is the leading edge of one of our wildfires. I can't imagine what this is pumping into the atmosphere.

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[John Schreiber]

I love storms too and this one is special. My daughter is named Andrea and she's been telling all her friends. "I'm a storm."

She's always been a storm, but this is the first time it's been official.

[Belinda Barfield]

Congratulations on having an official "storm" in the family! Pretty neat for Andrea I'm sure. Ask her to please send lots of rain.

[Craig D Peltier]

"Once when I was a little boy" story here

Lighting struck the tree outside our house about 10 feet away.The tree had a spike in it (no harm to tree:D ) I didnt do it... That strung a clothesline that was attached to corner of house.It split tree in half and melted spike and continued inside and shorted out at least Tv from my recollection.
Pretty crazy stuff, only if we could harness them.

[Belinda Barfield]

Know what you mean about the TV. My parents lose a TV about every three years. Their record is two in one summer. They still have an antenna attached to the roof of the house (no cable where they live) and I've tried to convince my daddy to move the antenna - without success.

[John Schreiber]

We were hit last spring. It blew circuit breakers all through the house and I lost a PC and a garage door opener. No damage to the house though.

It was so bright that I saw the light even though I was asleep.

[Belinda Barfield]

Wow John! You're lucky no fires started. I bet that was really scary, especially for any little ones.

[Jason Roehl]

Wow, Belinda, it sounds like your parents need a lightning arrestor installed on their electrical panel, and possibly one on their antenna, too.

I remember once when I was maybe 10-11 years old, lightning hit a tree about 20' from my bedroom window. I was sound asleep, but the loudness of it made me go airborne (I think I managed to stay horizontal, though). I decided to go watch the TV storm reports with my folks after that. The next day we looked at the tree, and it had sliced off a large branch, leaving burn marks.

[Belinda Barfield]

Learn something new everyday! I am guessing a lightening arrestor does exactly what it sounds like it does, but how does it work, and where can I get one?

[David Little]

Belinda. we plan to take our family vacation to Savannah in June. Hopefully we won't see any weather too exciting while we are there.

[Jason Roehl]

Here you go, Belinda--this was the first link that came up on a Google search:

http://www.deltala.com/index.htm

You'll have to follow the "products" link at the bottom. The top nav bar doesn't work (at least not in Firefox for me).

[Belinda Barfield]

Jason,

Thanks! I briefly checked out the website, and will do my homework this weekend. I am really glad to know about this as I think it will really benefit my folks. I didn't remember until I went to the website, but my folks lost a well pump in a storm about two years ago. I'm surprised their insurance company hasn't cancelled their policy.

[Belinda Barfield]

David,

Glad you guys are coming to Savannah. Have you visited us before? I would be happy to recommend some sites, etc., if you are interested. Best advice I can give you on weather is check it out before you hit the road. We typically get our hurricanes later in the season, so June should be okay. It will be hot, but that shouldn't be a problem for you Texans. If there is a hurricane that isn't an immediate threat to us, we throw great hurricane parties! By the way, a Lone Star State incident management team is helping out with our wildfires. Thanks for the help! I will taking supplies to the commant post on Saturday, and volunteering at one of the staging areas. I will be saying a big Thank You to any Texans I meet.

[Leigh Costello]

After moving into our new house about 9 years ago, I was doing dishes and watching the storm clouds brew outside. No rain, no thunder, just wind and awesome cloud movement. Next thing I know the glass I was washing was shattered and my ears were ringing. My hubby and daughter were talking but I couldn't hear them. After a moment or two, my senses returned and I was so jittery feeling. They told me that they saw the flash outside and inside arc thru the faucet in the sink. Caused a benign arrtythmia in my heart that I still have as a souvenir. And a small scar from the glass cutting me. I don't do dishes unless I see blue skies or starry night skies anymore.

[Belinda Barfield]

You're really lucky Leigh! I think I'll follow your dishwashing plan as well.

[Dennis Peacock]

I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't mind the occasional storm, especially the late-afternoon heavy rains in the summer that cool everything off. A female friend who is terrified of t-storms once called me during one, and I had to confess to her that I wasn't really the best person to be calling then, as I was standing at the screen door watching the storm, getting a little mist from it--enjoying every bit of it.

Ah...!!!!!!! Spoken as if after my own heart. ;) I love watching a good storm and sometimes the wife and I will sit on the front porch just to have the night-time lightening in the distance. Very enjoyable. :D

Nice weather shot though. I'm always interested in seeing stuff like this.

[Dennis Peacock]

After moving into our new house about 9 years ago, I was doing dishes and watching the storm clouds brew outside. No rain, no thunder, just wind and awesome cloud movement. Next thing I know the glass I was washing was shattered and my ears were ringing. My hubby and daughter were talking but I couldn't hear them. After a moment or two, my senses returned and I was so jittery feeling. They told me that they saw the flash outside and inside arc thru the faucet in the sink. Caused a benign arrtythmia in my heart that I still have as a souvenir. And a small scar from the glass cutting me. I don't do dishes unless I see blue skies or starry night skies anymore.

Wow Leigh!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are very fortunate that it wasn't worse. I think "someone" was watching out for you. ;)

The same should go for "shower or bath time". Lightening can do some very strange stuff.

[Belinda Barfield]

Dennis,

I tend to follow these kinds of weather shots during hurricane season. Now that I know you and Jason are interested as well I will post any neat shots I find. The images of the smoke dispersion from the wildfires is pretty interesting also. I feel for those trying to get out of Florida today since I10, I75, and I95 were closed this a.m., and are probably still closed. The small, secondary and tertiary routes have become pretty dangerous to drive due to the heavy volume of traffic and the smoke. Let me know if you like pictures of wildfire, we got plenty of those!!