The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
-Psalm 19:1

Do you know that God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?
-Job 37:15



Thursday, February 05, 2009

Lightning strikes and thunder rolls

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by for this week's installment of SKY WATCH FRIDAY! Please visit Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy's SKY WATCH BLOG to participate in Sky Watch Fridays, which is WELL WORTH YOUR WHILE!! Thanks to Dot, the momma of this fabulous blogging event, and to my dear friend, Tom, who brought it to full blossom. I, personally, love visiting the skies all over the world!!! You should definitely come fly with us! In honor of Georgia's Severe Weather Awareness topic of the day... Lightning, I thought I would post my favorite lightning capture. I took the shot on August 23, 2007, in my backyard, well through the storm door that leads to my backyard. A huge thanks to Mikey for removing the rain drops that were on the glass. Though, heat is actually the number one weather-related killer and flooding a close second, lightning is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the United States. Most lightning deaths occur during summer months in Georgia and mostly while people are caught outdoors during a thunderstorm.

A single lightning bolt can be as hot as 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit - hotter even than the surface of the sun.
Thunder is actually the sound of the shock wave generated by the rapid heating and cooling of air caused by lightning. Here are some very important safety tips regarding lightning:
1. WHEN THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS!!!
*** Stay indoors until 30 minutes after you hear the last clap of thunder. ***
2. Lightning will usually strike the highest object in area.
3. Enclosed vehicles are generally safe, if you avoid contact with metal surfaces.
4. If you are in a forest, seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees.
5. If you are outside, and feel your hair stand on end, this indicates lightning is about to strike. Drop to your knees and roll forward to the balls of your feet. Place your hands on your knees and tuck your head down. DO NOT LIE FLAT ON THE GROUND!
6. If you are boating or swimming, get to land as quickly as possible.
7. If you are inside, don't use a telephone or other electrical equipment unless in an emergency.
8. Do not take a bath or shower during a thunderstorm.
9. Lightning can strike as far as 15 miles away from the actual storm.
Lightning should be taken VERY SERIOUSLY.

Today, south Georgia and much of Florida temperatures are dipping into record breaking territory with temperatures at or below freezing in much of the area, or in my case, where I watched the temperature drop from 20°F to 16°F during the hour I was getting ready this morning. With a hard freeze upon us today and tomorrow, many farmers are working to try to spare their crops from total devastation. It is really cool how that is done, they actually irrigate the crop with a heavy coat of water while the temperatures are dropping to allow a thick layer of ice to form, which works to insulate the plants from lower temps. It wouldn't be so bad, but they just dealt with freezing temperatures a couple of weeks ago.

All that said, I want to share this photo with you. I don't know who to give credit for it, but I have heard that there has been a protest, speaking out against the "Global Warming" theory, that the media has been cramming down everyone's throat. One particular Global Warming protest was very well attended...LOL! Thanks, Sis and Meso Mike, both of whom shall remain blogless... I appreciate y'all sharing the shot with me. Too funny!

Have a bright, sunshiny day!
~Dewdrop

49 comments:

  1. Hah! I see no comments yet. I think I got my mojo back. As beautiful as your photo is I am frightened of lightning. Having grown-up in a tropical island, the rainy months bring me a lot of stresses because of thunder and lightning.

    Where did that last photo come from.

    Global warming means less and less rain here in Cali. How about sending that arctic blast over here to the left.

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  2. that's a great post, I didn't know you shouldn't have a bath or shower during a thunderstorm....

    Gill in Canada

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  3. I seriously need to find a thunderstorm to try and take photos like this. Great pic.

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  4. That has to be the cutest group of protesters I've ever seen!

    We've had a very cold winter this year in Ontario, but western Canada has been unusually warm. I'm hoping the really cold weather here kills some of the nasty insects that seem to be getting worse year after year!

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  5. Great shot of the lightning!
    Funny the snowmans.
    Gr.
    P-TER

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  6. The lightening shot is fabulous, the info timely and the last picture makes me wonder who has that much time on their hands! Very funny and cute! They look like Pac Man snowmen!

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  7. Terrific photos: the lightning strike and the snowmen. Very funny!

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  8. The first photo is spectacular, the last a complete hoot. Lots of interesting information too. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. I love lightning shots - that one's a beaut! But oh, those poor oranges...!!

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  10. I have never been able to capture a lightening shot. This one is beautiful. I love the last whimsical shot. Very cute.

    Happy SWF!

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  11. Truly beautiful photos, great shot of the lightning. Happy weekend and SkyWatch :o)

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  12. Absolutly beautiful pictures for a SWF!Great shot!Have a nice weekend!The last picture is so cute...

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  13. Love the little snowmen, but that lightning shot is so fantastic, thats one pic I wish I could capture, I did catch one in France but the lightning ran along the Hotel roof, and you can just see it.

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  14. Wonderful lightning capture, Dew. I like to watch it, but preferably from afar! Thanks, too, for the tips.

    The Global Warming protesters photo is hilarious!

    Wishing you a great weekend.

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  15. Fantastic picture with the lightning. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the snowmen!

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  16. Awesome shot of lightening and it is something to be aware of. I love the snowmen.

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  17. The snow mob is great, but you really gotta tell how you managed that lightning shot. The only way I can think of to do that is to stop down to the smallest aperture possible and just leave the shutter open until something happens. Which I suppose if you had an especially active storm wouldn't take to very long, but still...

    However you did it, it's awesome!

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  18. Great timed, exposed and captured.
    The last picture in this post was really funny :)

    Have a nice weekend.

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  19. The picture of the lightning is really stunning! And the colour is almost not of this world!

    The last shot!? Made my day!:))
    We have a lot of snow in Norway, I'll have to tell all the children in the neighbourhood I need a similar picture! Great picture! LOL!

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  20. Wow!!! You really got it - right on time. I hope I do to, someday! Perfect!!

    And those small snowmens are just adorable and sooo funny ;) Haha ;)

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  21. Dew... I googled "hundreds of mini snowmen" and well... I am gonna take a guess that it's the Sapporo Snow Festival, in Japan. Or someone or something mocking it. AWESOME!

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  22. Love love love love love lightning!
    The BESTEST time of the year!!!!!!
    The thing is I don't get enough of it here in the alps... bah.
    Oh sure, I can get the occasional good storm here and there but nothing to write home about...
    so I will just have to enjoy it through your pics! Wonderful photo and looking forward to seeing what new ones you may come up with this season!

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  23. Great pics and ineteresting info. Must have been a lot of work getting all those snowmen together.

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  24. I have still never caught a lightening bolt on film, and one against a purple sky is electrifying. So jam packed with goodies as always- and I still say get that book done.

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  25. Beautiful picture of the lightening,I have never manidged to take a photo of that.Great warning list about the thunder weather.
    And the last photo is very funny.Have a nice weekend.

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  26. There is just something exciting about a lightening-filled sky!! And the last photo is a hoot!!

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  27. Great skywatch, LOL snowmen, and I learned something new. I hadn't known how to respond if about to be struck by lightning.

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  28. The lightening shot is amazing. I had to laugh at the last shot. Too funny. I am so sorry about the FL crops.

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  29. woah! i love the last one! cool indeed!

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  30. That stopped me in my tracks. I want to say stunned me but that seems a little too easy with lightening. I think I mean I felt some wonderful wide-eyed awe as I looked at this photo. Lightening remnds me how small we are. I enjoyed this post.

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  31. That lightning shot is spectacular.

    Have a great weekend!
    Guy
    Regina In Pictures

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  32. Never caught lightning before so I'm a tad bit envious. I close my eyes when I see it - not a good idea for a photographer. :)
    LOVE the little snowmen!!!

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  33. That lightning photo is amazing. And to think, you took it through the screen door? It came out great.

    All those tiny snowmen... hahaha! Love them!

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  34. Whoa, after a scary thunderstorm, was a very very sweet treat of the protesters...they seemed to be happy and carefree protesters. I like that one.

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  35. The lightning photo is one terrific SWF contribution. Well done! I love the little snowmen - what a fun picture :)

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  36. Oh too funny ! The snowman photo is a cutie. Great photo of the lighting strike. Thanks for making Sky Watch Friday an interesting place to be.

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  37. That's a great shot of the lightning!
    Abocve that you wrote a very instructive post. Thanks.
    The last picture is very funny, but the idea behind it is quite serious.

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  38. Wow, such a dramatic image! And I love the snowmen....it's begun to snow here again though probably not as heavily as the beginning of the week. Fabulous blog, thanks for sharing and happy skywatch!

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  39. wow! that thunder shot is just simply amzazing! :)

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  40. Great lightening shot! And good advice to go with it. Having been struck by lightening, I would know.

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  41. That is a WONDERFUL lightning shot. I have yet to capture a half-good shot. Yours is awesome.

    I like you global warming conference, too. Hilarious! Someone was VERY busy!

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  42. I DEW declare,
    that is a fine lightning shot w/ GoRGEOUS mauve color! I have never captured any lightning. Never seem to have my cam then.

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  43. That is an amazing lightening shot. I've always wanted to get a shot like that. I know that would be nearly impossible with this digital camera. Thanks for the tips about lightening. That was great.

    Now, on to that last shot. That is hilarious! :-D

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  44. Wow what a capture, great job and love that last cute piccie too. LOL

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  45. That lightning shot is great. But I think the snowmen funnier. Each of them has a different expression.

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  46. Dew: Beautiful lightning capture, the rest of the post was down right funny.

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  47. Beautiful lightning shot. And funny photo of all the snowmen. Thanks for the info on lightning.

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  48. Well dewdrop, thank you for the lightening education. Good to know all that! I sure hope those crops survive.
    Your lightening image is striking! ;-)

    Tammie

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  49. We had a nice sunny 40C day again thanks.

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Dew comment, please...