PeteW
Greg Hadden
Ageing anorak
Posts: 1,522
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Post by PeteW on Jun 30, 2005 11:49:59 GMT
Storms like that are great to watch, providing that the lightening takes someone else's roof off BTW for those sitting typing away on their PCs during the storm, it has been known for computers attached to the internet via metallic conductors, to be blown across the room and left as a pile of burned out rubble by lightening strikes
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Rhino#13
Jim Keyes
South Notts Outlaws Rule
Posts: 906
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Post by Rhino#13 on Jun 30, 2005 12:05:54 GMT
A friend of mine had her house hit by lightning when she was little. All the electrical sockets in the house fired themselves across the room, missing her by inches. You should never use a landline in a storm, stand under a tree or be bathing in water. My flat has a lightning conductor so hopefully I'll be fine.
The storm was good in Radcliffe. Forked lighting, sheet lightning, the odd thunderbolt visible in the sky, but no red sky that I saw. It was similar to the storm we had a few days ago.
My cat Fred insisted on going out onto my balcony and sitting under a chair to watch it. Bizarre. My last cat Dillon was terrified of storms. You always knew when a storm was coming as he'd hide under the bed about an hour before you heard the first rumble of thunder. I'm assuming that just means cat's ears are better than mine, rather than him being some kind of feline barometer.
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Optic
Corey Neilson
Posts: 2,384
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Post by Optic on Jun 30, 2005 20:59:26 GMT
Sorry folks, it's not a very good photo, but I was very impressed with the red sky last night! wow you got some snow also ;D
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MP
Paul Adey
Hail hurts and rain is cold. Summer in the mountains
Posts: 6,811
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Post by MP on Jun 30, 2005 22:34:46 GMT
You should never use a landline in a storm, stand under a tree or be bathing in water. If your bath is connected with plastic pipes rather than metal then you will be OK. It is recommended that you disconnect the phone line from your PC in a storm..... wonder if anyone does? Does anyone still disconnect their TV aerial during a storm? If you get caught in a storm in the mountains (why on earth would anyone I hear you ask...), it goes without saying that standing on summits and exposed ridges isn't a good idea.... Sheltering under overhangs or in caves is a no no too - electricity from a lightning strike will flow over the wet rock and leap across the spark gap formed by an overhang or cave - toasting you if you happen to be in the way! Unfortunately, the safe place to be is below the ridge line, on a scree slope where surface water can flow under the rock and conduct any electricity away from you. Sit down to reduce your height, preferably on some insulating material...... So you empty out your rucsac and sit on that.... whilst all your gear gets wet.. Just remember as you pack away your soggy gear.... they say it's better to be safe than sorry...
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Post by heja on Jul 1, 2005 0:17:53 GMT
You should never use a landline in a storm, stand under a tree or be bathing in water. If your bath is connected with plastic pipes rather than metal then you will be OK. It is recommended that you disconnect the phone line from your PC in a storm..... wonder if anyone does? Does anyone still disconnect their TV aerial during a storm? If you get caught in a storm in the mountains (why on earth would anyone I hear you ask...), it goes without saying that standing on summits and exposed ridges isn't a good idea.... Sheltering under overhangs or in caves is a no no too - electricity from a lightning strike will flow over the wet rock and leap across the spark gap formed by an overhang or cave - toasting you if you happen to be in the way! Unfortunately, the safe place to be is below the ridge line, on a scree slope where surface water can flow under the rock and conduct any electricity away from you. Sit down to reduce your height, preferably on some insulating material...... So you empty out your rucsac and sit on that.... whilst all your gear gets wet.. Just remember as you pack away your soggy gear.... they say it's better to be safe than sorry... i'll remember that if i ever climb a moutain then think the only 'moutain'i have ever gone up is Ben Nevis
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Post by *♥*Shortie*♥* on Jul 1, 2005 8:55:56 GMT
Did you know the safest place you can be during a Thunderstorm is in a car?
We always unplug the computers and T.V's during a storm..get's really boring though lol
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Post by vertigo on Jul 1, 2005 9:57:22 GMT
Well....
I DID eventually get to Cardiff. On Weds morning, NO Central trains were going in or out of Nottingham. I rang the hotline, & was told to get myself to Derby by other means, & catch the Cardiff train from there. I got myself to Derby, only to find the service had been withdrawn....then it was back on....then it was delayed.....then it was waiting for the driver to come in a taxi from Nottingham........then it was..'we aint quite sure'. I decided to get the Virgin train to Bristol, & change at Bristol for Cardiff. It was sooooooooooo worth it!. I have not missed a U2 tour for the past 20 years, & that was the best I have ever seen them. The Killers were very good too....as were Starsailor!.
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Rhino#13
Jim Keyes
South Notts Outlaws Rule
Posts: 906
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Post by Rhino#13 on Jul 1, 2005 11:54:26 GMT
Did you know the safest place you can be during a Thunderstorm is in a car? Yeah, rubber tyres innit ? What I meant about not bathing in water is you don't do it outside. Like in the sea or a pool. People do the daftest things. Large numbers of people get zapped on golf courses for example: "Oh, there's a lightning storm. I'll just go out in a large field and wave a metal rod around over my head." BZZZZZZZZZZZT ! Doh !
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Post by runnerbean on Jul 3, 2005 18:33:49 GMT
I thought it was safe to be in a car coz then the lightning would go round it and not hit you
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Post by hitman69 on Jul 3, 2005 20:31:16 GMT
did you know, you can get struck by lightning from a storm up to ten miles away?
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Post by girdeaux on Jul 3, 2005 20:33:18 GMT
did you know, you can get struck by lightning from a storm up to ten miles away?
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MP
Paul Adey
Hail hurts and rain is cold. Summer in the mountains
Posts: 6,811
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Post by MP on Jul 3, 2005 22:17:36 GMT
I thought it was safe to be in a car coz then the lightning would go round it and not hit you You think correct RB - the Faraday Box/Cage principle.
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twix
Lorne Smith
Posts: 754
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Post by twix on Jul 4, 2005 12:21:50 GMT
It is recommended that you disconnect the phone line from your PC in a storm..... wonder if anyone does? Does anyone still disconnect their TV aerial during a storm? Yes to both. I also nowadays disconnect the broadband modem and have a surge protector for all the PC equipment. Keep meaning to buy a single one for the new laptop. I suspect that Rhino's friend's house problem happened around the same time a thunderbolt hit the bungalow behind our house, scorched all the walls in the neighbours houses, blew up irons, kettles etc and exploded most of the TV's in the area. Somehow (apparently because my father insisted on us unplugging everything that may cause a problem during a storm) we weren't touched. Just terrified when we heard the explosion and saw the fireball as we thought it had gone through our upper floor. No adults in the house just a very young scared baby sitter, two kids and some hysterical pets. The premise is that the bungalow got hit despite being the smallest house becaude they had the largest electical source. They had an enormous TV aerial. The TV was connected and on, the bloke was in the bath and the woman was ironing... I use as little electrictiy as possible in a storm. For all those who think it's fantastic that thunder bolts hit next to where you were watching and hope for a bigger storm next ntime. Good luck! Lightening kills and destroys. Nothing fun about it. Quote syntax fixed - MP
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MP
Paul Adey
Hail hurts and rain is cold. Summer in the mountains
Posts: 6,811
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Post by MP on Jul 4, 2005 22:20:22 GMT
Good luck! Lightening kills and destroys. Nothing fun about it. True enough. However, the chances of coming to grief on the roads are far, far higher than a lightning strike, and judging by the traffic on the roads, the odds don't deter too many people. I have a very healthy respect for lightning (having been scared witless by it when just into my teens) but I never ceased to be impressed by it and do quite enjoy storms.
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Rhino#13
Jim Keyes
South Notts Outlaws Rule
Posts: 906
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Post by Rhino#13 on Jul 5, 2005 11:54:10 GMT
I thought it was safe to be in a car coz then the lightning would go round it and not hit you You think correct RB - the Faraday Box/Cage principle. I thought the rubber tyres acted as an insulator, like electricians wearing rubber shoes. I'm gonna look up this Box/cage thingy on the net now.
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Post by Kimberley on Jul 6, 2005 14:59:47 GMT
have to say it was a good storm although my best and scariest was when i was flying for the first time to greece two years ago it was stunning to watch as long as we were above it and far enough away
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