Natures Beautiful Wallpaper

9/23/12

Thunder And Lighting Description Protection And Images Collection

Description Thunder And Lighting:

Thunder Lightning is a massive electrostatic discharge caused by unbalanced electric charge in the atmosphere. Lightning can be either inside clouds , cloud to cloud or cloud to ground and is accompanied by the loud sound of thunder. Because the speed of sound in air is so much slower than the speed of light. Thunder often lasts several seconds because the sounds from different parts of the lightning strike arrive at different times.

A typical cloud to ground thunder lightning strike is often over 5-6 km. long but may be many kilometers longer. Lightning is usually associated with and produced by cumulonimbus clouds which may reach up to 15 km high and often have a base 5-6 km. above the ground.

The fear of thunder lightning is called astraphobia because of the severe danger of a close lightning strike this fear may be appropriate. The study or science of lightning is called fulminology and someone who studies lightning is referred to as a fulminologist.

Each major stroke of a thunder lightning strike is usually about 150 ft. long and lasts about 1 to 2 microseconds with a pause of about 50 microseconds as more charge is accumulated before resuming another stroke in a slightly or significantly different direction.

Protection:

Keep a weather radio during thunder lightning season, especially when participating in outdoor activities.
Don't plan outdoor activities when lightning are predicted.
Be aware of the general weather patterns in own area and plan smart. For example, an evening outdoor wedding in June in Minnesota had better have an indoor back-up plan it would be much better to plan it for noon.
When camping, set up camp in or by a low grove of trees, preferably close to the floor of a valley. Stay off hilltops and avoid wide open fields .
Stay off water and away from water when lightning approach.If you are outdoors when a storm approaches, the best thing to do is get indoors.

Roll up all the windows, close the doors, and do not touch anything metal. Do not use the radio or any other electronic devices until the storm lightning is well past.

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