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Rick
02-12-2008, 07:34 PM
Here are some lightening facts from computerwizard.com

Lightning strikes the Earth 1,800 times at any moment.

Lightning puts 10 million tons of nitrogen into the Earth each year.

The Earth has 100 lightning strikes per second - 3.6 trillion per year!

The Earth has 2,000 thunderstorms at any one time!

Without thunderstorms, the earth would lose its electric charge in less than 1 hour.

Florida is the Lightning Capital of the U.S.

Lightning is the #2 weather killer in the U.S.

Lightning is the #1 weather killer in Florida - more than all other weather deaths combined!

Florida leads the U.S. in lightning deaths, injuries, and casualties

Texas is #2.

Pennsylvania leads the U.S. in lightning damage.

The U.S. has 20 Million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes each year - up to 70 Million lightning flashes aloft are also counted!

The U.S. has 100,000 thunderstorms per year.

The Odds Of An Individual Being Struck By Lightning Each Year In The U.S. Is About 300,000 To 1

Lightning injures many more than it kills.

Lightning often causes life-long severe debilitating injuries.

Lightning kills about 100 people in the U.S. each year.

Lightning injures about 1000 people in the U.S. each year.

In the U.S., lightning kills more than Hurricanes and Tornadoes, combined. Only floods kill more!

Lightning causes $5 Billion of economic impact in the U.S. each year.

Most lightning strikes occur either at the beginning or end of a storm.

Lightning is 50,000° F - three times as hot as the Sun.

Lightning is only 1 inch in diameter.

Lightning has been observed over 100 miles long.

An average lightning flash has the energy of a 1-kiloton explosion.

Lightning voltage can be up to 300 million volts.

Lightning current averages 30,000 amps, but ranges from 10,000 to 200,000 amps - 100 To 1,000 times as strong as a steel welder.

Holy Cow! With numbers like that it only makes good sense to practice lightening safety. Here are some tips of what to do and what not to do:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/enviromentalissues/a/lightning.htm

chiggersngrits
02-12-2008, 11:29 PM
Those are some shocking statistics.Thanks for all the current info, I'am sure it will spark some electrifying discussion.

crashdive123
02-12-2008, 11:45 PM
Have been living in Florida for about 19 years now. I really have a healthy respect for lightening. That respect started many years ago while camping in upstate NY (Montecello area). Nasty weather. Lightening struck the lake we were camping near, bounced up the hill, hit the tent next to mine. Plenty of char cloth after that.

BraggSurvivor
02-13-2008, 12:43 AM
I had no idea. :eek:

dilligaf2u2
02-13-2008, 01:34 AM
And here I was worried about the pigon poo that was falling from the sky!

There are better odds of getting hit by lighting then hitting the lottery.

Don

CTracker
02-13-2008, 06:09 AM
Just another normal day here in Paradise. Typical summer evening.

This day just happened to be Aug-14 of 05.





http://www.paintedsky.net/images/misc/1035_Aug-14-05.jpg

trax
02-13-2008, 01:35 PM
thanks Rick, very enlightening. :D

crashdive123
02-13-2008, 08:22 PM
During the summer months here in Florida, we are continually bombarded by thunderstorms, many of which are a result of the east and west sea breezes that occur in Florida. Due the shape of our peninsula and the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico the converging sea breezes greatly enhance the number and intensity of these storms.



By definition, a sea breeze is a thermal current that results in the temperature differences between the land and the ocean.As a result of the sunlight striking the Earth sea breezes begin mid-morning, once the land has been heated sufficiently.The cooler denser air that settles over the ocean moves inward to the warmer less dense air that rises, creating a circular pattern.The land can heat three times faster than the ocean water, thus encouraging the warm air to rise.The breeze that blows in your face when standing on the beach looking towards the water is a sea breeze.Sea breezes can occur many miles inland.



The leading edge of a sea breeze is known as a sea breeze front.Because Florida is surrounded by water we get a sea breeze from both directions.When these sea breeze fronts collide they form a sea breeze convergence zone.If the sea breezes contain ample moisture, they may be conducive to produce thunderstorms by creating instability in the air.The location of the convergence zone plays the most important role in the location and intensity of thunderstorms.Sea breezes occur mainly during the Florida wet season that typically runs from May through October.Explore the links below to see another explanations of sea breezes and view them as they happen:



http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/seabreeze.html

In case anybody is interested.

Rick
02-13-2008, 08:25 PM
When I was in Tampa it seemed like there was a thunderstorm every afternoon around 1:30 or 2:00. It lasted about a half hour and then it was gone.

crashdive123
02-13-2008, 08:28 PM
We've had lot's of summers like that. Not quite as much in the past few years. It was always pretty impressive watching the storm clouds build as the sea breezes kicked in.

Assassin Pilot
02-13-2008, 09:17 PM
Lightening is bright

(I know, I'm so observant)

prrrfukt
02-14-2008, 10:16 AM
Lightening is so beautiful, I love sitting on the porch out in the country curled up under a blanket with a warm cuppa and watching them...
it sucks though cuz everytime it thunderstorms im either sleeping cuz i have to get up early the next day or im at work and i miss it cuz i have no windows at work :(

other then that thanks for posting that those were really interesting :)

Beo
02-14-2008, 10:52 AM
Twinkie the Surfer Boy, nice post. very shocking and enlightening:D