Was bad last night

[stomachmonkey]

We had a pretty gnarly storm front roll through.

Felt like we were living through a blitzkreig.

4 homes in my hood that we know of so far got direct lightning strikes and 2 of them burned to the ground. Thankfully all got out but the homes are a total and complete loss as in knock down the few bits that are left and start from scratch.

Was pretty eerie, my home is in a quadrant of homes that seems to be a hot spot for strikes. Was looking out the back window and with each strike my landscaping lights would glow on and then fade off from all the energy in the air.

My kid had to get up 4 times as it was triggering the remotes for the LED light strips in his and his sisters rooms.

Was a long night, I'm pretty tired.

Nature does not fook around.

[onewhippedpuppy]

That seems really weird that lightning would strike in your area so often. That’s like winning the lottery twice! Really sucks for your neighbors, glad they are ok. We have been largely devoid of serious weather this year, knock on wood.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

That seems really weird that lightning would strike in your area so often. That’s like winning the lottery twice! Really sucks for your neighbors, glad they are ok. We have been largely devoid of serious weather this year, knock on wood.

My buddy behind me and one house over has had to replace all his electronics three times in twelve years due to lightning.

He seems to be the primary target.

[flipper35]

Can you put up a HAM antenna somewhere close to attract the lightning?

[KFC911]

When I was a youngin (60-70s), it was common to see houses with lightning rods (one of Ben Franklins inventions) installed, and of course, grounded TV antennas on chimneys. I can't remember the last time I've seen either. We know what happened to TV antennas, but why did lightning rods disappear?

Scary stuff...

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by KC911

When I was a youngin (60-70s), it was common to see houses with lightning rods (one of Ben Franklins inventions) installed, and of course, grounded TV antennas on chimneys. I can't remember the last time I've seen either. We know what happened to TV antennas, but why did lightning rods disappear?

Scary stuff...

Electrical and communication codes have evolved to the point that a single source isn't always best. In an ideal world every single metallic or otherwise potential should be bonded to common known grounding electrode conductors by as many methods as possible.

For instance: Ufer ground (the rebar in your foundation), piping systems, if conductive, and multiple ground rods at every structure with potential. To carry the thought to the extreme, yet not ignored, any metal window frame in a wood or stucco house should have a #8 ground wires and jumpers all going to the common ground usually located near the electrical service panel.

And it wouldn't hurt to have a bonded weather vane up on the highest point. Or a mast if you don't mind the look.

Why do trees get hit a lot? Well, they protrude from the landscape taller than most objects in a rural or semi-rural area and most have an ideal distribution of potential, namely the well expanded branch and root system. But it isn't the roots so much that carry the actual current, although moisture, sap and surface wetness all contribute It all starts in the ionized air surrounding a tree.

Worst case scenario: plant a large tree next to the house.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

My buddy behind me and one house over has had to replace all his electronics three times in twelve years due to lightning.

He seems to be the primary target.

Has he gotten or looked into extra lightning protection? Surely there are a couple few options (which I'm sure won't stop lightning if it really wants to get your TV, but should reduce the likelihood of an issue in all but the worst situations.

[masraum]

My mind immediately went to what I see out the window on the shorter buildings around the one that I work in. The whole roof is covered in a large "net" of wires and then there are small rods sticking up at intervals around the edges and across the top.





It seems a bit overkill for residential, but then I don't live where you live. If I did, I might be looking into the residential version.

[pavulon]

Anyone who lives close to a watertower should be thankful that the thing is there and regularly taking big electric hits.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Nature does not fook around.

No she does not.

Glad you & yours escaped injury and harm, Scott.

Threads like this are a reality check for me - everyday my mind is on so many different things but a storm blows through and completely changes one's perspective.

[shadowjack1]

Water towers are no safety device. I live within 300 yards of a water tower and my sail boat, docked in the bayou behind the house, has been hit 3 times in the last 20 years.

[mattdavis11]

After moving from Chicago to Austin, she could not believe the intensity of the lightning and power of the storms in Central Texas. I told her that isn't shyte, North Texas gets twice as bad.

Had many a day in my youth trying to find shelter while carrying a bag of lightning rods around. The weather can get really bad in a hurry in the DFW area.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by shadowjack1

Water towers are no safety device. I live within 300 yards of a water tower and my sail boat, docked in the bayou behind the house, has been hit 3 times in the last 20 years.

Maybe so but I live 3/8 of a mile from one and the thing is regularly hammered while nobody around here nor their trees or property have had an issue.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

After moving from Chicago to Austin, she could not believe the intensity of the lightning and power of the storms in Central Texas. I told her that isn't shyte, North Texas gets twice as bad.

Had many a day in my youth trying to find shelter while carrying a bag of lightning rods around. The weather can get really bad in a hurry in the DFW area.

I explain the weather around here as "Biblical".

It never seems to do anything half assed.

[wdfifteen]

Weather in Texas can be extreme.

Having said that, the title was very misleading. "Was bad last night" - had me eagerly anticipating a story of salacious behavior involving the authorities, women of questionable repute, gambling, excessive use of sarsaparilla etc, and possibly exceeding the speed limit on a public highway.

Weather? Yep. Whether it's cold or whether it's not we're going to have weather, whether or not.

[Bill Douglas]

Phew Scott, that sounds really scary. Survival mode.

Good luck.

[Rick Lee]

Man, as much as I miss TX, I have never had to deal with that kind of weather anywhere else. We used to have disaster drills in school all the time. The hail and tornadoes were just nuts. I was living in Wylie when that giant tornado devastated Wichita Falls in the late 70s.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by shadowjack1

Water towers are no safety device. I live within 300 yards of a water tower and my sail boat, docked in the bayou behind the house, has been hit 3 times in the last 20 years.

Are you safe inside a sailboat? Years ago in Jax, we motored to watch the fireworks show one July 4th. Afterwards, an epic FL thunderstorm with fierce lightning hit....drove all of us down into the cabin except the Captain that night (a serious sailor) in the cockpit. It was unnerving with a 45' metal lightning running down through the midde of the cabin.... a wicked storm I still remember well. I hung at the top of the steps... must've been around ten folks down below.... scary stuff .

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

......We used to have disaster drills in school all the time. The hail and tornadoes were just nuts. I was living in Wylie when that giant tornado devastated Wichita Falls in the late 70s.

Grew up (1950's - 1960's) in a small town near Abilene,TX. Just a normal part of llfe, when the weather bureau issued a tornado warning the siren on the water tower would be turned on and just let run. That meant get ready to head for the storm cellar (which most people had in their back yards back then). Spent more than a few hours over the years down in the storm cellar with a kerosene lamp providing a little light.

The dumpy duplex I lived in while in school in Lubbock (left in 1968) was demolished ny the 1970 Tornado which caused massive damage in Lubbock.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

My buddy behind me and one house over has had to replace all his electronics three times in twelve years due to lightning.

He seems to be the primary target.

Would one of those surge protector things have helped? I'm thinking not since I'm sure that after the first time, he did what he could for protection.