Thursday, April 27, 2017

(Almost) Struck By Lightning

Yesterday Cape Town had a thunderstorm second to none. Lightning struck in the street in front of me, so that my ears were singing for the rest of the day. I was surely quite safe -- but I know several people who, in the past, experienced very near misses. My late wife Mirjam was narrowly missed by lightning in Bülach, perhaps by four or five metres / yards. She had put a chair out in a thunderstorm to admire the show. I know a farmer's couple who were felled by lightning on their balcony in Nieuwoudtville. And there were members in an old Church whose car was struck by lightning in Port Elizabeth, while they were driving. I have other examples besides. OBSERVATION: I designed a Thunderstorm Monitor once (to find it, google "Thunderstorm Monitor" together with my name). It was one of my favourite projects. But actually, this detected charge on the atmosphere, so it was more useful than mere lightning detectors. The photo was taken yesterday by (I think) Carla Mackenzie.

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