Be Aware, Watch The Weather!!!

[castnblast]

Folks, I mad a very, very, stupid mistake this weekend that almost cost me my life. There was a thunderstorm several miles away from me when I was bowhunting this weekend. I heard the thunder in the distance, and began thinking, if that gets any closer, I'll go to the truck. Well, Not long after that, POW! Lightning struck a tree 49 yds from my stand. It could have just as easily been mine. The problem here is I know better. I'm on the skywarn storm spotter network here in S. Tx, a licensed pilot, and have several college hours of meteorology. The thrill of the hunt kept me in the stand, when in the back of my mind I knew I should get down. Lightning can strike miles away from the actual storm. When I did get back to my truck I called National Weather Service to find out where the storm was heading. It was stationary, and it NEVER RAINED A DROP where I was at. They had actually issued a severe thunderstorm warning for that cell, so my spotter mode turned on and once I got to a clearing, I could tell the storm had some rotation in it. Nothing ever came of it, (rotation) but I could have easily been killed by that lightning strike. Bottom line, learn from my mistake, and don't make the same for yourself. Here's a couple of Thunderstorm facts:

1. Lighting can strike as far as 10-15 miles from the actual storm.
2. Hail can be cast as far as 20 miles (rare but happens) from a very severe storm.
3. Tree lines can skew your view and hide storms.
4. Severe thunderstorms can move at speeds up to 70 mph, and be on top of you quicker than you have time to reach safe shelter.

This was an isolated storm, and the percipitation forecast was only 20%. Pay attention, and cary a hand held NOAA weather radio if you are going to be in backwoods. Or, program the local National Weather Service phone number into your cell so you can call and get updates. Their meteorologist will be glad to talk to you and let you know what is going on.

 

[FirstFreedom]

Thanks for the reminder! Winds downing decaying limbs is even a bigger danger than lightning strike in a storm. Regardless, as you say, get out of the woods!

 

[springmom]

Holy cow

You are VERY lucky. Of course, you know that.

Thank you for the reminder. Archerandshooter, are you LISTENING???????

Springmom, who has much more sense than her husband on this topic

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Good reminder. Actually, by the time you hear thunder, you have been within the reach of lightning for some time. Lightning can strike at a distance of over 20 miles which means it can strike from a location over the horizon for most folks on the ground. Thunder, however, usually can't be heard for more than 12 miles at most.

See http://www.stormwise.com/striking.htm for some good insight.

 

[BIGR]

In the early 90's I was deer hunting down south in Georgia and heard thunder on a warm winter day. The sky got dark and I decided to get down out of the tree stand and hike to camp. Myself and the other two hunters decided to go to town for supper. While in town a tornado went through camp and tore big pine trees up all around our camper. We had to cut 4 or 5 trees just to get back into camp. Our camper just sustained a small hole in the roof( a small pine limb speared through it) and the awning was tore down. We packed up and got out of dodge. I can only imagine what would have happened had we stayed at camp. Later that night we heard that a person had been killed just up the road. That was a valuable leason to me about the weather.