Lightning

["Barbara B. Peck" <bpeck@together.net>]

I live in an area that has alot of ledge outcroppings, and for some reason, these seems to be where lighning strikes occassionally.

We aren't even in a "high lightning" area if you look

a lighning map (Northern VT)

 Marion county in Fla (Ocala area) has the highest

strike probability I think.

 

In the past 20 years we've had 2 incidents of animal deaths

due to lightning. 

My neighbor to the north of me lost 2 horses during a storm.

Burn marks on the heads indicated Lightning arc'd from the halter rings, one horse to the other

and both were killed (they were barefoot by the way).

 

And 5 years ago, my neighbor 1/4 mile away had 5 cows die

during a storm. Vet thought the ground was energized some how

as they were several feet appart when they died.

It was pretty bad, as they were blackened around the legs and

stomach.

It was very strange, as about 8 fence posts came up out of the ground

(each were set 3' deep) around the edge of the ledges where the cows were under trees.

 

The house I live in right now, was rebuilt in 1899, after being struck

by lightning and burning to the ground.

(Hope the chances are poor for that to happen twice).

 

I've been caught (riding) in a couple.. and I can't say it's fun, but definitely

an adrenalin rush.

 

Barb