Storm in The Villages

[gomoho]

Watching an incredible storm approach in the village of Hadley. Awesome lighting, thunder and has started raining. The last thunder clap actually shook the house. Nothing like Florida for weather!:coolsmiley:

[aussiemom]

We had our car struck by lightening in July which gives a whole different perspective on Florida storms. Not so cool when you have been that close to a lightening strike.

[gomoho]

We had our car struck by lightening in July which gives a whole different perspective on Florida storms. Not so cool when you have been that close to a lightening strike.

Wow - I always thought you were grounded in a car - so sorry to hear that. I bet it does give you a different perspective.

By the way - does aussie mom mean you have an aussie or are an aussie. I have what is probably the world's largest Australian Shephard - almost 100 pounds of romping stomping lovely boy.

[pooh]

My house just keeps lighting up.....flashes light up the front door windows, the windows throughout the house, the sliders and all the skylights... ;) Almost like a stobe light at times....lol.

I think Hadley was more directly under the storm as it approached than my area of Caroline....didn't have that rumbling, house shaking thunder, I know of what you speak!!!

The rain is very welcomed, especially since my lawn was cut today.

[pooh]

We had our car struck by lightening in July which gives a whole different perspective on Florida storms. Not so cool when you have been that close to a lightening strike.

Were you driving when it happened? I'm glad you are safe....I assume there were no serious injuries? Better to be in the car than the golf cart....at least you have a "cage" around you to offer some protection.

I can't imagine what that strike was like...and I hope that you never experience that type of event again....EVER!

[Cynbod]

Were you driving when it happened? I'm glad you are safe....I assume there were no serious injuries? Better to be in the car than the golf cart....at least you have a "cage" around you to offer some protection.

I can't imagine what that strike was like...and I hope that you never experience that type of event again....EVER!

Worrisome thought; my daughter is driving from Buttonwood to her home in Ocala right now. Florida get some kind of storms. Hope all is well with everyone.

[pooh]

Worrisome thought; my daughter is driving from Buttonwood to her home in Ocala right now. Florida get some kind of storms. Hope all is well with everyone.

Shouldn't take her too long to get home. Hopefully she'll call you soon to tell you about the spectacular light show.

[gomoho]

Has pretty much calmed down in Hadley - seeing some "heat lightning" strikes in the distance and some rumbles, but I believe it has passed. Hope everyone is safe. Wonder if the fire in Liberty Park was from a lightning stike???

[graciegirl]

Still raining in Laurel Valley and thundering too, but not as bad as an hour ago.

[aussiemom]

Wow - I always thought you were grounded in a car - so sorry to hear that. I bet it does give you a different perspective.

By the way - does aussie mom mean you have an aussie or are an aussie. I have what is probably the world's largest Australian Shephard - almost 100 pounds of romping stomping lovely boy.

Aussiemom means I am mom to Aussies (one male tri and one female blue merle). Had the 2 but unfortunately my boy went to Rainbow Bridge in April :cryin2: Best dogs ever, once you own one you are hooked for life.

Wow, 100 lbs, that is the largest Aussie I ever heard of.

[aussiemom]

Were you driving when it happened? I'm glad you are safe....I assume there were no serious injuries? Better to be in the car than the golf cart....at least you have a "cage" around you to offer some protection.

I can't imagine what that strike was like...and I hope that you never experience that type of event again....EVER!

No, not driving. Car was in driveway but hubby and neighbor were sitting just a few feet from it when it struck (both shaken but OK). Blew off drivers side mirror, took 2 chunks of concrete out of driveway and hit a tree also, plus blew out all the cable boxes in the house. Insurance totaled car since not a bit of the electrical would work. We learned that you are not save in a car as once believed. It definitely changes your idea of lightening and gives you a much deeper respect for it. When we closed on our house here in September, we made sure we had a surge protector put on electrical box.

So needless to say, not as fascinated with lightening storms as I use to be.

[graciegirl]

No, not driving. Car was in driveway but hubby and neighbor were sitting just a few feet from it when it struck (both shaken but OK). Blew off drivers side mirror, took 2 chunks of concrete out of driveway and hit a tree also, plus blew out all the cable boxes in the house. Insurance totaled car since not a bit of the electrical would work. We learned that you are not save in a car as once believed. It definitely changes your idea of lightening and gives you a much deeper respect for it. When we closed on our house here in September, we made sure we had a surge protector put on electrical box.

So needless to say, not as fascinated with lightening storms as I use to be.

A surge protector is being half safe. Lightning rods are needed too...and I am going to get on Sweetie about that very issue today. Lightning rods aren't cheap...but I think we need them, especially after last nights storm.

If you have an opportunity to go to any of the presentations on Lightning given at rec centers, go and listen. When I heard these two men were going to give a presentation on lightning to our village group, I thought ..oh this is going to be a pitch for their company.

They don't have a company. They are two villagers who became interested in lightning after they witnessed seven homes burnt down from lightning in the past eight years. They consulted the University of Florida at Gainesville who has a department that studies ligntning and its effects.

They bring a lot of useful knowledge about being safe and get no monetary gains for their presentations. They don't have a lightning protection company...they just know lightning.

[red tail]

A surge protector is being half safe. Lightning rods are needed too...and I am going to get on Sweetie about that very issue today. Lightning rods aren't cheap...but I think we need them, especially after last nights storm.

If you have an opportunity to go to any of the presentations on Lightning given at rec centers, go and listen. When I heard these two men were going to give a presentation on lightning to our village group, I thought ..oh this is going to be a pitch for their company.

They don't have a company. They are two villagers who became interested in lightning after they witnessed seven homes burnt down from lightning in the past eight years. They consulted the University of Florida at Gainesville who has a department that studies ligntning and its effects.

They bring a lot of useful knowledge about being safe and get no monetary gains for their presentations. They don't have a lightning protection company...they just know lightning.

jmo but 'snake oil' comes to my mind when i read that people spend all that money on something that really isnt a thing one should worry about. i wonder if there is a survey on native floridians vs former yankee residents who purchase this program.

[graciegirl]

jmo but 'snake oil' comes to my mind when i read that people spend all that money on something that really isnt a thing one should worry about. i wonder if there is a survey on native floridians vs former yankee residents who purchase this program.

You well could be right. However here in The Villages seven homes have burnt to the ground in minutes in the last eight years due to a direct lightning strike.

These two men will NOT even give you the names of people that install lightning rods at the presentation.

I think they are above board...and by the way snake oil is exactly what I thought too.

But our neighbor, who owned a large electrical company, and our other neighbor who was in charge of lightning rods installed on airplanes at NASA, both had them installed.

As these lightning experts said, chances are your home will never get struck.......but if it is, properly installed copper rods, will safely conduct the immense current into the ground.

There is a book about lightning, I think by the folks at University of Florida. Central Florida is the lightning capital of the U.S.

[senior citizen]

How many degrees does the temperature drop after such a lightening storm in October?

Ditto, how low does the humidity drop afterwards?

How many of you who were experiencing the lightening also could "feel" the barometer dropping???

After a very long extended period of hearing our weathermen up north say how "murky" our weather has been with very high humidity day after day and tons of rain (no lightening) day after day, we are wondering what happened to our old days of crisp New England "fall foliage weather"??????? In other words, cool sunny "sweater weather" which is energizing. All we've been feeling is clammy, damp, humid and achy.

Relatives of ours who reside in Arizona, say the dry heat is much more soothing than the humidity is.

Today actually is the first day the sun has been out in a long time.

I can understand why the meteorologists are calling it MURKY.

They even mentioned mushrooms growing on their front lawns......which we have also noticed on ours.......plus the other day we had a HUGE explosion of winged flying ants come up from under our deck boards (Trex decking) and start flying and walking all over the place; thinking it was springtime again.

Seasons are very confused up here. We should have a hard frost by now.

Too much rain, for sure. Way too much constant humidity.....and we are three to four hours from an ocean.

I just looked up humidity and heat in Florida (as we feel we've been living in Florida for most of this summer)..........also checked out the heat in Arizona which is a DRY HEAT without the humidity, but still hot......

On a Florida Travel Forum it says:

""In Florida, more people die from excessive heat than from lightning. ""

""The human body temperature rises dangerously when hot days combine with high relative humidity, because perspiration cannot evaporate and cool the body. ""


""Elderly persons and small children, or persons who are on certain medications, overweight, or have an alcohol habit are particularly vulnerable to heat stress. ""

""Florida's humid climate is attributed to the fact that no point in the state is more than 60 miles from salt water, and no more than 345 feet above sea level. ""

""Humidity is the degree of wetness or dryness of the air and is measured by a percentage ratio called "relative humidity." The warmer the air becomes, the more moisture it can hold, therefore, a person can feel the humidity on a warm day with 80 percent humidity than on a cold day with the same humidity. "".

[jblum315]

My DirectTV went out during the storm and stayed out all night. Switching to Prism (fiber optic) next week, no more storm outages I hope.

[pooh]

How many degrees does the temperature drop after such a lightening storm in October?

Ditto, how low does the humidity drop afterwards?

How many of you who were experiencing the lightening also could "feel" the barometer dropping???

After a very long extended period of hearing our weathermen up north say how "murky" our weather has been with very high humidity day after day and tons of rain (no lightening) day after day, we are wondering what happened to our old days of crisp New England "fall foliage weather"??????? In other words, cool sunny "sweater weather" which is energizing. All we've been feeling is clammy, damp, humid and achy.

Relatives of ours who reside in Arizona, say the dry heat is much more soothing than the humidity is.

Today actually is the first day the sun has been out in a long time.

I can understand why the meteorologists are calling it MURKY.

They even mentioned mushrooms growing on their front lawns......which we have also noticed on ours.......plus the other day we had a HUGE explosion of winged flying ants come up from under our deck boards (Trex decking) and start flying and walking all over the place; thinking it was springtime again.

Seasons are very confused up here. We should have a hard frost by now.

Too much rain, for sure. Way too much constant humidity.....and we are three to four hours from an ocean.

I just looked up humidity and heat in Florida (as we feel we've been living in Florida for most of this summer)..........also checked out the heat in Arizona which is a DRY HEAT without the humidity, but still hot......

On a Florida Travel Forum it says:

""In Florida, more people die from excessive heat than from lightning. ""

""The human body temperature rises dangerously when hot days combine with high relative humidity, because perspiration cannot evaporate and cool the body. ""


""Elderly persons and small children, or persons who are on certain medications, overweight, or have an alcohol habit are particularly vulnerable to heat stress. ""

""Florida's humid climate is attributed to the fact that no point in the state is more than 60 miles from salt water, and no more than 345 feet above sea level. ""

""Humidity is the degree of wetness or dryness of the air and is measured by a percentage ratio called "relative humidity." The warmer the air becomes, the more moisture it can hold, therefore, a person can feel the humidity on a warm day with 80 percent humidity than on a cold day with the same humidity. "".

I know the low humidity of Arizona, Nevada, California....and while it's not muggy, when the temps are in the 100's, it's like putting yourself in an oven...;)
When those temps are so high, the humidity levels can be extremely low and that can contribute to excessive water loss and dehydration without being aware of what's happening. Have a friend in Arizona and she takes a break in the summer....high temps, low humidities even drive "zonies" away from their state. Many migrate to CA.

The humidity in FL seemed lower than other parts of the country this summer and it also appeared that we had cooler temps than many other spots. Remember, everything is air conditioned and that makes things a bit easier. One thing I find is that the sun actually makes my skin feel like it's burning in the summer so I stay out of it for the most part. It's difficult to explain, but a number of my friends also experience the same sensation. Obviously it doesn't bother all because there are many working and playing outdoors around here in the summer.

Storms come through, the air cools for a bit, sometimes and then it's just like any other place, especially New England, the humidity returns...depends on what type of weather system has brought the rain. Oh how I remember that from my youth. Personally, I don't think the humidity in our part of Florida is any worse than New England. Southern FL is different, but in TV, it's not the same.

I know when the barometer changes, feel it in a couple of joints, but it's not the same as having the cold and low humidity levels of winter in NE. Remember my mother and grandmother complaining about achy joints in the winter, though not so much in the summer with the heat and humidity. Everyone is different and reacts differently to barometric conditions.

I prefer the lower humidity levels of the section of CA I came from....absolutely do not like the Santa Ana winds that accompany extremely low humidity levels from the desert, along with high temps....that I don't miss, absolutely, positively not. My friend decided that AZ was better than TV for her because of the arthritis in both her hands....but in the summer, she's still miserable...112-117 degrees is hot!

[senior citizen]

I know the low humidity of Arizona, Nevada, California....and while it's not muggy, when the temps are in the 100's, it's like putting yourself in an oven...;)
When those temps are so high, the humidity levels can be extremely low and that can contribute to excessive water loss and dehydration without being aware of what's happening. Have a friend in Arizona and she takes a break in the summer....high temps, low humidities even drive "zonies" away from their state. Many migrate to CA.

The humidity in FL seemed lower than other parts of the country this summer and it also appeared that we had cooler temps than many other spots. Remember, everything is air conditioned and that makes things a bit easier. One thing I find is that the sun actually makes my skin feel like it's burning in the summer so I stay out of it for the most part. It's difficult to explain, but a number of my friends also experience the same sensation. Obviously it doesn't bother all because there are many working and playing outdoors around here in the summer.

Storms come through, the air cools for a bit, sometimes and then it's just like any other place, especially New England, the humidity returns...depends on what type of weather system has brought the rain. Oh how I remember that from my youth. Personally, I don't think the humidity in our part of Florida is any worse than New England. Southern FL is different, but in TV, it's not the same.

I know when the barometer changes, feel it in a couple of joints, but it's not the same as having the cold and low humidity levels of winter in NE. Remember my mother and grandmother complaining about achy joints in the winter, though not so much in the summer with the heat and humidity. Everyone is different and reacts differently to barometric conditions.

I prefer the lower humidity levels of the section of CA I came from....absolutely do not like the Santa Ana winds that accompany extremely low humidity levels from the desert, along with high temps....that I don't miss, absolutely, positively not. My friend decided that AZ was better than TV for her because of the arthritis in both her hands....but in the summer, she's still miserable...112-117 degrees is hot!


You did a great job of putting it all into perspective and I thank you.

Yes, Arizona heat is like an oven. Heat is heat. I was surprised to learn that they have "misting machines" in various public locations.......like at EPCOT. When our relative first relocated to Arizona, simply for arthritis relief (which she had experienced while vacationing there), the first time she went out on the golf course she felt like she was about to have a heart attack. Her physician warned her NOT to go out at high noon.

That coming summer (her first), she found it so difficult as far as the heat went......that she had to rent a summer place up in the mountains of Arizona. Her home was at 1,950 feet elevation but she had to go much higher to experience some cooler temps. It was an added expense, after building a brand new home, but she couldn't take the summer heat (coming from New Jersey).

Still weighing all of our options. Neither of us like the humidity here, that's for sure. It's been a long, hot, humid summer with a draught at first, then too much rain.

Well, today will be more rain and looks like it will hang around for awhile.
Our seasons are just not what they used to be.

Again, thanks for putting it all into perspective.

[Lightning]

We had our car struck by lightening in July which gives a whole different perspective on Florida storms. Not so cool when you have been that close to a lightening strike.

Where was the car when it was struck - parked or were you driving? Did it damage any of the electronics? Typically when a car is struck by lightning it will blow out the tires and deploy the air bags. You are safe in an enclosed metal-frame body car as long as you are not touching metal. Lightning will be dsicharged off the metal body to ground. Tires play no role. Bikes, golf carts, convertibles, motorcycles are not safe in lightning.

[aussiemom]

Where was the car when it was struck - parked or were you driving? Did it damage any of the electronics? Typically when a car is struck by lightning it will blow out the tires and deploy the air bags. You are safe in an enclosed metal-frame body car as long as you are not touching metal. Lightning will be dsicharged off the metal body to ground. Tires play no role. Bikes, golf carts, convertibles, motorcycles are not safe in lightning.

Car was parked in driveway. All electrical dead as door nail. Insurance company totalled vehicle. Since we just moved here in Sept. and needed to downsize to one car and golf cart only, hubby bought a new golf cart instead of replacing car.

[manaboutown]

A surge protector is being half safe. Lightning rods are needed too...and I am going to get on Sweetie about that very issue today. Lightning rods aren't cheap...but I think we need them, especially after last nights storm.

If you have an opportunity to go to any of the presentations on Lightning given at rec centers, go and listen. When I heard these two men were going to give a presentation on lightning to our village group, I thought ..oh this is going to be a pitch for their company.

They don't have a company. They are two villagers who became interested in lightning after they witnessed seven homes burnt down from lightning in the past eight years. They consulted the University of Florida at Gainesville who has a department that studies ligntning and its effects.

They bring a lot of useful knowledge about being safe and get no monetary gains for their presentations. They don't have a lightning protection company...they just know lightning.



Gracie is right. A lightning belt or "lightning Alley" as it is known extends from Tampa across central Forida into southern Marion County, over Orlando and even on to Cocoa Beach. Lightning Alley receives more lightning strikes per unit area than anywhere else the the continental USA. The region around the village of Kifuka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo receives the most strikes per unit area. Roger Russell's Central Florida Lightning page (http://www.roger-russell.com/lightning/lightning.htm) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distribution_of_lightning

I look at lightning rods as safety devices for homes and other buildings, like seatbelts and airbags in cars and other vehicles.

[rjm1cc]

Car was parked in driveway. All electrical dead as door nail. Insurance company totalled vehicle. Since we just moved here in Sept. and needed to downsize to one car and golf cart only, hubby bought a new golf cart instead of replacing car.Looks like you luck might be improving.