tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post6798767145143381295..comments2024-03-28T08:06:43.198-04:00Comments on The Silicon Graybeard: Lightning From Uncomfortably CloseSiGraybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-76364003531707850852015-06-02T18:30:36.185-04:002015-06-02T18:30:36.185-04:00I too have seen the glowing balls of air in the af...I too have seen the glowing balls of air in the aftermath of a strike. It was in 1981 in the DFW area. I was watching a storm over Fort Worth/Grand Prairie from a hilltop. After the strike I thought it would be a good idea to get back inside.<br /><br />The closest strike I've ever experienced was when a car I was in took a hit. It was a very memorable event.<br /><br />I also saw a ball lightning event from a relative's farm in Corsicana, Texas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-42366137009587129432015-06-01T00:48:31.652-04:002015-06-01T00:48:31.652-04:00Was at a friends house when lightning struck the r...Was at a friends house when lightning struck the roof mounted CB antenna - fried the cable through two floors, blew off chunks of plaster, scorched the wood floor where the base unit sat.<br /><br />THE SAME THING HAPPENED NEXT YEAR - same house, would not have believed it had I not been there, again.<br /><br /><br />Another house - in some summer electrical storms the TV tube would glow, when turned off & unplugged from the wall, same with a fluorescent tube desk lamp. Multiple occasions. <br /><br />But that wasn't near bizarre as - a glowing band of light about chest level would appear from one end of hallway, make two turns to the outside door, a distance of 25-30 feet. Had been observed over many years by many people - no idea what caused it or what it was - corona discharge?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-53116007346105652322015-05-31T11:21:03.097-04:002015-05-31T11:21:03.097-04:00A little off subject but one of the coolest things...A little off subject but one of the coolest things I've seen: In 1964 I was in AF tech school in Biloxi Ms during one of those big hurricanes. The base was literally closed down and all the troops were supposed to stay in the barracks until the danger was go. But as luck would have it the eye came over us at lunch time so what's a growing young man supposed to do? On the way back from lunch the eye wall passed through and the wind and rain was horrific. Walking against the wind I saw the power lines acrose the street swingning wildly and touch briefly. A big bang and a ball of blue light which fell to the ground and buzzed like a 4th of July fireworks. It literally bounced around for 5 seconds or so before it puttered out. Too cool.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-40541785046919572122015-05-30T22:16:46.248-04:002015-05-30T22:16:46.248-04:00The closest I've been to a direct hit was abou...The closest I've been to a direct hit was about 40 feet. I was standing on the back porch of the house I grew up in back in Illinois, when the powerpole at the NW corner of our lot took a direct hit.<br /><br />It turned a standard telephone pole into toothpicks!<br /><br />To this day, it's the loudest, brightest thing I've ever seen. I think I actually felt it more than heard it.<br /><br />The ozone smell was very strong for a few minutes, along with the smell from the vaporized telephone pole.<br /><br />The power went down in the whole neighborhood, and stayed down until ComEd could get out the next morning and repair/replace everything that just "wasn't there" anymore.drjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647484115197408897noreply@blogger.com