Storm Australian Severe Weather Forum
Severe Weather Discussion => General Weather - all topics not current severe weather. => Topic started by: Mike on 16 January 2008, 08:01:09 PM
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(1) Can anyone give some info on the number of people actually killed say in the last 5 years Australia wide by lightning and also any figures on anyone being struck and surviving?
(2) Has any member known anyone personally that has been struck by lightning and what was their experience? (If you have been a victim, please comment on your experience)
It's for some info I'm compiling, so anything on topic will be fantastic.
Mike
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Mike,
I personally have not been struck by lightning - but i have drive thru a thunderstorm anvil cloud on Mt Dandenong, VIC when I was driving taxis here, and lightning did strike the cab a few times, including one crawler that went from west to east, around the cab - looked like one of those prank knife hats from the Show. Very scarey.
Big Pete
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Certainly would be an eye opener, Pete. Can you give some descriptive stuff of what the storm looked like etc, etc - I just want some specifics to the event if that's okay!
Mike
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Mike, its a bit vague to remember. It was some 3 or 4 years ago. And it was something that does stick in the mind. The storm from memory came from the SW, developed around Moorabbin area, and drifted E then NE into the mountain. I was travelling N on the tourist rd into Mt Dandenong to take a client home to Kalorama (on the N side of the mtn). I only remember that the storm came in pretty quickly, and it must have been a pretty low thunderhead to get onto Mt D like it did. The lightning was fairly active within the cloud, and some heavy rain periods came and went. But the lightning that struck the cab was vivid, but very quick. And one that made my eyes light up. I think I ended up sitting back further into the driver seat when it happened, and the client got a shock. Sorry I can't give you any more than this Mike, but its all I remember from the event - I do remember that some storms were occuring to the south and north of the mountain, but it is the first time I have ever seen a direct contact between the mountain and a thunderhead. Normally the anvils run a fair way above the mountain (mt D is only roughly 1400m above sea level from memory - the street directory (melways (c)) has a better reading. So normally storms rise over it.
Big Pete
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A nice read, thanks for extra bits. I've been racking my own brain trying to remember if anyone i've known has been struck but nothing comes to mind as yet and I'm sure a colleague up here has had some nasty experiences...
Mike
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mt D is only roughly 1400m above sea level from memory
Big Pete
Hi Pete,
I believe Mt Dandenong is only around 600m asl! Mt Donna Buang which often is covered in snow in Winter, is 1250m asl, and Lake Mountain (also close-ish to Melbourne) is around 1500m asl.
I was chasing with a friend a few years ago, when they received a shock from a close by lightning strike (most likely through the wet ground). I was safely in the car, and not affected at all by it (other than shock of a different kind ;) ).
Cheers,
Jane.
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Jane,
Thanks for the correction. Nice to know another Vic on the go! Liked your pics on the Dec 22 storm - pity my phone camera wasnt working at the time, plus it is difficult obtaining photos when one is driving - esp through floodwaters to get back to depot. Keep up the good chasing!
Big Pete