Re: [Paddlewise] Lightning?

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_seasurf.com>
>
> Had an interesting (and scary) experience with a lightning storm this
> weekend.  No strikes near us and none on the water, not even to
> freighters and tugs traveling the waterway, but lots on the land at 2
> miles and farther away, across a mile-wide river.  However, one
> isolated, freaky cloud-to-cloud stroke directly overhead (flash and
> "crackle" were simultaneous) really put us into panic mode!

Lightning can strike several miles away from any rainfall.

> We were headed directly toward the shore when the storm began, and
> hustled off the water to shelter ASAP, but this developed so quickly I
> am curious about the experiences of others.  We rarely get lightning
> storms in Western Oregon where I live, so it is not a major hazard for
> us, but it must be a regular occurrence for others.

I'm posting this to GASP, too, because the Gulf of Mexico region is
coming into its most deadly season of the year for lightning fatalaties... 
May, June, July and August.

Florida has the most lightning-releated deaths of any state in the 
country.  85% are water-related.  Some time ago, when setting up the
weather page for the GASP website and because lightning can be a very
real problem when paddling the Gulf of Mexico area, I came across a 
little site under construction about lightning.  It has developed into 
a large and informative site, especially on weather across the SE United 
States.  It contains information on lightning detection, what causes
lightning, safety procedures and statistics on lightning related deaths, 
and can be found at:

http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sercc/publications/lightning_pub.html

The main site is:  http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sercc/

This site also has a test you can take to find out what you know or
don't know about the weather.

> Stories?

A few.  One in particular was a trip to the barrier islands off the Texas
coast with a front that moved in during the middle of the night.  For
those that don't know, the Texas coast and the barrier islands are flat
offering little to no protection.   We experienced lightning strikes all 
around us (no gap between blinding flashes and ear-shattering booms), tents 
blown down, gear lost to the sea and a lightning storm that raged for
about an hour right over us before it finally moved on.  Exciting and 
terrifying.   To be expected if you plan to spend much time kayak camping 
along the Gulf of Mexico coast and SE Atlantic coast, especially in the 
spring/summer time.  Take earplugs, lie low :-)

Cheers,

Jackie

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