How do Storm Chasers/Spotter stay safe with lightning?

[Rob Wadsworth]

I just stay inside the car if lightning is close. I will even disconnect or remove external antennas. I'm paranoid about all the electronic equipment near me breaking that faraday cage.

Agreed; do it the same way.
That is why I prefer magnet mount antennas; just pull them inside the cage.



Do ALL of my lightning shoots from inside my vehicle putting my camera on a window mount. Been too close to a direct strike; less than 20 ft away. Worst part about being in the open, is that the only warning you might get is feeling all of the hairs rising up all over your body; but if you are in the wind then - you won't notice that. Best to stay in the Faraday's cage and get what you can that way . . .

 

[John Farley]

Lightning is my very favorite weather. I've twice moved across the country because of lack of lightning, and have watched thunderstorms for many decades.
I agree that lightning is very unpredictable. Twice while living in western Ohio and watching a storm move along (one was about 20 miles away) I was stunned by a clap of thunder behind me in the clear air.
During my 20's I was relatively fearless and placed myself in open surroundings I'd not do today. When filming lightning striking within just a couple miles of me, my car is my home. Windows rolled up, or just slightly cracked. I prefer a slightly raindrop blemished great lightning photo shot from inside my car to the perfect shot, but taken outside during potential great danger. I've seen lightning strike within a few feet of my car window and slither across the parking lot (What a rush!!) I always had somewhat of a cringe when keeping my ham radio hooked up when lightning was near. Now, I keep it off, though then again, I have my Garmin radar connected to the cigarette lighter. No external antenna at least...

That's why this tornado picture has a few spots and is slightly off-color. When I stopped to view the developing tornado (Manchester, IL, 8/19/09), a bolt zapped down less than 1/2 mile away. That was enough to convice me to film through a closed window. Better to film through a closed window than have that be my last tornado!

 

[mdstormchaser]

Living in Maryland, the main thing of storms I chase and photograph is lightning! I tend to either sit in my car and shoot from there if it's daytime with a window mount for my DLSR, or I risk it by being outside at night with long exposures. Some lightning is close......so I tend to just hunker down and hope I don't get hit. If I do, at least I'm going out my way and couldn't picture such a beautiful thing as my last thing seeing!!