Lightning Strike-Too Close for Comfort

 

Wesley Chapel, Florida (high 92, low 72)

 

We’re still here in Florida but are wrapping things up to leave soon.  The north Georgia mountains are calling our names. Our friends Ralph and Terry are already there and Catherine and JoBeth are heading that way soon.   We Floridians like to escape this heat.

Typical summer weather in Florida brings afternoon thunderstorms, when the sea breezes from the east and west coasts collide.

The sea breezes  collided right over our heads yesterday bringing some nasty lightning and thunder.

Florida is the lightning capitol of the world and I think Tampa is the lightning capitol of Florida, so we try to be extra careful.

We were inside when lightning struck nearby.  We both happened to be looking outside and saw a flash of light and some smoke.  It was right across the street and the first thing I though of was the vacant motorhome that was right there.  I looked for smoke coming from it, but we soon realized it struck next to the tree.  Fortunately, there was minimal damage and none to any RV’s.

It scared poor Baxter to much that he ran but couldn’t get any traction and I could hear his “wheels spinning.”  He is normally not bothered by thunder and lightning but this one shook the whole coach and sounded like a bomb hit.

Some of our neighbors went out to check it out but we could still hear thunder so we stayed inside.  Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice?  I was amazed people went outside to check out a lightning strike, IN THE LIGHTNING!  

I finally got out this morning to check it out.

It appears it entered in the concrete and traveled through the dirt and up to the tree. 

You can see how close it was to this motorhome.

 

 

 

You can see where it struck the concrete.

 

Can you imagine if it hit your body?

I see people outside all the time when there is thunder and lightning.  We have a Weatherbug App on our phone which tells you how far away the nearest lightning is located.  We try to stay inside if it’s closer than 14 miles.

You can see how close it was from this next picture taken from out patio.

 

 

By the way, one of our neighbors that says they have a surge protector, and the strike fried their cable box.   I”m not sure if they have the high end Progressive Industries surge protector that we do, but I don’t think it would have helped a direct hit.