OK, don't say I didn't warn you people....

[David Drummond]

From today....

http://wx5tvs.com/chasephotos/2005/2005pic...6.12/zapped.wmv

This is why you shoudn't park next to me chasing! :wink: :lol:

 

[Jay McCoy]

thats why I am at least 1/2 mile away from you David when possible. You seem to attract trouble but it does make for good video. Bet a few chasers down the road a bit had to change their shorts after that one.

 

[David Drummond]

thats why I am at least 1/2 mile away from you David when possible. You seem to attract trouble but it does make for good video. Bet a few chasers down the road a bit had to change their shorts after that one.

I heard someone hollar from all the way down there! They might have been saying "Get my clean shorts!" I couldn't be sure. Best estimate that hit about a hundred yards away. Totally missed the telephone poles there and nailed metal fence post under them!

 

[Marko Korosec]

Sweet jezus! :twisted: Amazing video, man! 8)

 

[Anthony Silver]

Holy crap sounds just about right, I'd be looking for a new pair of shorts after that one. I hate CG with a passion!

 

[Joel Wright]

Damn, that's the first time I think I've ever heard the static noise just by the lightning itself!

It also looks like the bolt was maybe even blowing from left to right towards the end of the clip.

Pretty damn sweet man! :shock:

 

[Jeff Miller]

hmmm

Also freeze it at :03 and notice the weakly luminescent streamers emanating from what appears to be EXTREMELY close to David. Thank God those didnt fully connect!!! :shock: (unless this is some sort of error in the camera where there is a ghost image of the lightning).

 

[Dan Robinson]

David's clip pretty much sums up the lightning with this storm. Close CGs were staggering! Right after the big wedge yesterday, I watched one bright, pulsing CG hit in the field right next to the road less than 300 feet or so away, bright fiery orange and red at the first 20 feet or so above the ground, followed by a large plume of smoke rising from the wheat. There were a group of chasers parked right beside it! I'm sure someone must have caught it on tape.

*At least* a half dozen strikes hit within 1/4 mile of me while I was out filming, with thunder less than 2 seconds following. Didn't catch any directly on camera like David did, but the flash and audio is great!

 

[Geoff Boyle]

Wow! :shock:

That beats the close call the NSSL guys had a while back.

 

[Billy Griffin]

Yes sir, that was awesome. David, that's my red Explorer in the foreground with the satellite on top. We were parked just next to you !!! :shock:

I had a chase partner who decided to lean out of the vehicle to get shots of the rotation overhead (not a safe thing) then all the sudden... THE TASTE OF OZONE !!!!!!!!!!

I can't post the video clip here, but I've got footage of it hitting the ground and then spreading out in an orange "flash". What an amazing day yesterday was. Those cells gave us just about everything we could ask for.

 

[Mike Mezeul II]

oh great...and i was leaning on your vehicle talking to you yesterday...i knew there was a reason i didnt feel safe :lol: jk least it made for some awesome video! btw it was great meeting you and congrats on the tornadoes!

 

[Mikey Gribble]

I was parked right down the road when that happened. I about pooped down my leg.

 

[Shane Adams]

He ain't kidding...the only time I've ever been bitten by a lightning strike (secondary shock through my video camera/inverter setup), Dave was standing about ten feet away from me.

 

[David Drummond]

Here's one for your desktop Billy. :lol:

and check out the beading when the channel collapsed

 

[David Drummond]

I hate to say this, but with visual observations I have made over the last few years, particularly last year and this year. That stuff about lightning usually striking the tallest nearby object is a load of crap. :shock:

9 out of 10 times I have seen CGs completely bypass taller objects, some pretty darn close to ground zero to hit a shorter object or even the ground.

Oh, and a quick funny...

The evening of the Petersburg/Floydada tornadoes, I was live on the air and not once but TWICE lightning struck the power pole 2 poles down from me. :shock: