07/03/2026
Wow
The post below from Thomas is so sad. I believe this was a “Bolt from the Blue”. These are some of the most deceptive and dangerous phenomena a thunderstorm can produce. They do not originate from dark, low-hanging rain clouds directly overhead. Instead, they typically begin high up in the engine room of the storm, often within the positively charged upper canopy or the expansive anvil of a mature cell.
Instead of traveling straight down into the rain core, the lightning channel forces its way horizontally out of the side of the cloud. It snakes through the crystal-clear air, completely hidden from anyone on the ground below, covering massive distances. Once it has traveled far enough away from its parent storm, the bolt takes a sharp, sudden vertical turn, carving its way down to the surface.
To someone standing outside, the storm seems far too distant to be a threat. There is no rain, no ominous dark sky, and sometimes not even a faint rumble of thunder to warn you. Then, in a fraction of a second, a superheated channel reaching temperatures upwards of fifty thousand degrees Fahrenheit connects the clear sky to the earth.
Because they catch people completely off guard, these strikes are disproportionately dangerous. They are a spectacular but lethal reminder of just how far a storm's electrical footprint can actually reach. Something to keep in mind when outdoors this holiday weekend.
Photo: Blue Skies Meteorology
