The 'Massive' Gauteng Weather and Storm Warning Thread! The Sequel

wingnut771 said:
I thought lightning strikes the highest object in the area.
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That's definitely a myth. Google:
Why It Doesn't Only Hit the Highest Object
- Random path: The final path of a lightning bolt is chosen step-by-step in mid-air based on local electrical charges.
- Close range only: Height only matters when the bolt gets very close to the ground (within a distance roughly equal to that object's height).
- Ground strikes: Lightning can easily strike flat open ground, parking lots, or lower areas if the local electrical field favors it.
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wingnut771 said:
I thought lightning strikes the highest object in the area.
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Standing inside, I've witnessed the house next to this have a light fitting struck on the exterior of the boundary wall. I felt the snap through my feet and the whole section of wall where it was (probably 70cm diameter) just went bye-bye in a puff of rubble.
 
Flanders said:
Standing inside, I've witnessed the house next to this have a light fitting struck on the exterior of the boundary wall. I felt the snap through my feet and the whole section of wall where it was (probably 70cm diameter) just went bye-bye in a puff of rubble.
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The telephone pole in my dads backgarden got struck a few times back in the day, I was in the dining room about 10m from it and lightning struck, hairs all stuck up :-). Plus the pole glowed for a millisecond
 
Lupus said:
The telephone pole in my dads backgarden got struck a few times back in the day, I was in the dining room about 10m from it and lightning struck, hairs all stuck up :-). Plus the pole glowed for a millisecond
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Highveld's not for sissies, ne? :p
 
B-1 said:
If we could harvest the lightning maybe my batteries would be full today instead of having to pay eskom.
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Sadly not yet :-( but one day perhaps, though one bolt of lightning could probably charge neighbourhoods.
 
Lupus said:
Sadly not yet :-( but one day perhaps, though one bolt of lightning could probably charge neighbourhoods.
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AI says 278 to 1400kWh which is less than I thought but still a good chunk.
 
APoc184 said:
Anybody with a reading of how much rain came down in Garsfontein, Lynnwood Glen area for that storm.

We are away on holiday and our pet sitter sent photos this morning of our kitchen, living room and one bedroom under water. Have seen quite a few reports of similar incidents in and around Garsfontein.

So it must have been a hell of a lot of water in a short time.
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We had 60mm yesterday in Lynnwood Ridge, starting at 4 pm. Of that, 15mm fell in ONE minute at about 21:40!!

Another 9mm so far today

I'm taking the 60mm with a pinch of salt, because, based on how much the pool level lifted, I think that the hail may have clogged the intake hole on the rain meter...
 
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