The AM Forum

Well., I know there was a solar eruption of some sort and they have been talking about the Northern Lights being quite visible as a result of the solar activity.  Last night, however, we had much too cloudy sky conditions to be able to see much of that.  The interesting thing I observed, however, was almost non-stop lightning flashes....lighting up the sky in almost a strobe fashion.

As a line of strong thunderstorms passed through the area, the lightning was more intense than I have ever seen it.  Not too much in the way of very close strikes, but lighting-up the entire sky in a fashion that was a little scary to say the least.  I reminded me of being on the dance floor in the disco era with strobes flashing so intensely that you couldn't see anything.  I'm glad, at least that I had all of the antennas disconnected from the equipment.

Anyone else notice this phenomenon?  I wonder if the intense lightning activity was in any way related to the solar event.

73,  Jack, W9GT

Jack,

I don't think the solar wx has anything to do with the lighting, but over here in N.E. IL, we have had a heck of a lot of thunderstorms this summer.  I was thinking this morning (as another squall line blew through from the west) that I may as well be living down in southern Louisiana.  The amount of rainfall and humidity and the resulting bugs have been sky high.  I recall 15 to 20 years ago every July and August we would be under what was called the "Bermuda high" and it meant about 6 to 8 weeks of mostly hot dry wx.  An occaisional small thunderstorm, every couple weeks would keep things from completely dying but other than that, just hot sunny dry wx.  The grass would turn brown and quit growing and I'd get a break from yard work.  Now, seems like every summer is just a continuation of spring:  rain, humidity and bugs.

Rob

You usually see the continuous flashes of lightning with severe storms sometimes associated with tornadoes.   I remember seeing that during the great 1985 tornado outbreak of tornadoes in Pennsylvania and a few weeks ago during a camping trip.

Yes, Indiana is tornado alley.  I have seen many very severe storms and we were lucky to have been spared from the great Palm Sunday tornadoes in 1965.  I was not so lucky in 1982 when a tornado and the associated very high winds aloft wrapped my big 20M yagi (60' boom) around my tower.  Fortunately, the tornado didn't touch down around us, but winds still did a  lot of damage.  

What I observed last night, however, was extremely intense, as well as continuous lightning...primarily the cloud to cloud variety.  As I stated, almost a strobe effect.  It really lit things up and was quite awesome to see the display.  It seemed to me to be far more intense than any electrical storm I have previously seen.  That was the reason for my commenting on it.  It would be interesting to see what the lightning map looked like during that event.  

73,  Jack, W9GT

Good point about relation between lighting frequency and tornadoes.   When my family lived in the Chicago s. suburbs we had a tornado go through in the middle of the night one hot July night in 1965 and my mom said later (she was the only one who didn't sleep through it; dad sawed logs the whole time which annoyed mom to no end) it was remarkable for non-stop lightning.

Another thing I notice when it is real hot and humid is that the sound is a lot more intense and broad in frequency response.  You really get these BOOMS and house shaking rumble.   The full audio treatment does not seem to be there when there is a thunderstorm at 65 degrees.

Jack,

Did you have much thunder? Just wondering, I have seen some spectacular cloud to cloud lightning in the past and for some reason not much thunder. I wonder why that is.

Mike

YUP that flare was heading right for Earth, according to CNN World...........Hong Kong version of USA CNN.
They were really worried about the Sats being damaged from this one!

We had the same type of lightning here. Continuous flashing, no thunder.

MaNature can be furious here.
40M had 20 over static and we folded up operations and one hour later there was a hellatious storm.
But believe it or not there are quiet times. 160M would be a year round challenge here in the tropics.
Fred

Hi Mike,  Well the thunder was not particularily loud, but kind of a continuous background rumble.  Very wierd conditions, indeed.  I guess that is why I was wondering if increased ionization in the atmosphere could cause such a thing, or if it was just an intense severe thunderstorm band that had an especially high amount of electrical activity associated with it.  

Yes Rob,  We sure have had a lot of thunderstorm activity this year and it seems that the really hot and humid conditions have contributed to that.  A rather interesting contrast to last year when we had an especially cool July.

Fred,  Are you on the air with KC4MOP/DU?  That sounds like an Antarctic Phillipine station call...Hi HI FB OM.  Let us know...maybe could work you on 20 M or something.
Sounds like you are seeing some real intense storm activity over there!


73,  Jack, W9GT