Ground strike lightening

[mikethepike]

I'm walking extensively over the Bogong High Plains in January and what scares me is lightening! Yesterday I witnessed a lot of ground strikes over the Adelaide Hills, as seen from the plains, and had a couple of strikes close to our house. But what if you're out on the High Plains and caught out in such conditions - flat open plains? It seems you are really left to the luck of the draw even when you take all steps to divest yourself of metal things, keep out of hollows creek beds etc. Scary stuff! A shift in travel dates, say even by 2-3 days to avoid a predicted lightening storm, is not always easy to manage at the last 'minute, especially with pre-booked solo travel or with a group.
Any suggestions or experiences with this particularly in open locations above the winter snowline? Thanks.

[WarrenH]

When I used to go sailing and there was lightning, we used to joke about sailing over to the boat that had the tallest mast and sit just off it until the storm passed ... but it wasn't a joke.

Did you know that if you're struck by lightning and survive, your hair can turn white instantly? ... http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd30 ... d-01-1.jpg

From an early post called Your worst night camping.

Postby WarrenH » Mon 11 Jan, 2010 7:54 pm
When Haley's Comet last visited, a few decades back, I spent a few weeks traveling around the Alps with my girlfriend Helen, photographing Haley's Comet.

I photographed structures (huts and chairlifts) and in the most amazing landscapes that I could find to show-off the comet. I'd spent months preparing to do this assignment and weeks photographing the comet. I was working as an editorial photographer back then. My job was to capture Haley's Comet.

Each day, during the late afternoon, I photographed a different landscape in Kosci'. With the camera left on the tripod, after the first shot was taken, later I'd do a double expose of the comet trail, an extended time exposure usually.

Helen and I were on Carruther's West Ridge on the Main Range. I had set up the tent on the highest point of the ridge above the Sentinel Track. The first shot had been taken looking over the Sentinel into Northcote Canyon. The camera was on the tripod, waiting for the comet to rise (about 9pm) to do the overlying comet star trail shot thingy. The evening was well below zero and sheet lightning and a storm, came in without any warning ... like totally life threatening lightning, flashing as brightly as daylight and with gale force winds and no chance to even count to "one-Mississippi," between the thunder claps and flashes.

Like we were on the highest point getting totally hammered and I had a raised metal object, a large tripod beside the tent with sheet lightning all around.

I was half naked in the tent, changing clothes and Helen was asleep. I had to get the metal tripod away from the tent as quickly as poss' because the thunder was right above us. I ran away from the tent and laid the tripod come lightning rod flat on the ground and recovered the camera. The sheet lightning was supplying all the illumination needed to leave the tent, as bright as daylight ... the wind was absolutely hammering.

I was maybe 30 metres from the tent and the illumination from the lightning stopped. Then total blackness. With a roaring wind.

Helen couldn't hear me. I couldn't see the tent. I was disoriented in the wind but facing into the prevailing wind. I couldn't see didly-squatt. Helen was sleeping through the storm and didn't know that I had left the tent.

I couldn't find the tent after much searching, while half naked and freezing. I could have been within a metre or two of the tent at any stage and not found it ... nor have Helen hear me shouting because of the howling wind.

I walked down wind to start the search again. If you know the Sentinel falling to one's death has happened to other people.

I left a wrapper from a Cadbury's Picnic , in the vestibule of the tent and it had eventually blown out. In one flash of lightning the only flash within maybe half an hour, I saw the Picnic wrapper blow across the ground. I followed the direction I though it had come from and I eventually tripped over the tent ... I didn't see the tent, I tripped into a guy rope of the tent.

I make no bones about that night. I could have died ... and the lovely Helen missed all the action.

I still like Cadbury's Picnic bars but my head torch goes around my neck early.

Warren.

[north-north-west]

1) It's LIGHTNING. No e.

2) Just keep away from the trees. Lie down flat on the ground and hope you're not unlucky.

Seen some beautiful storms up there.

[Tortoise]

Lie down flat on the ground and hope you're not unlucky.

I'm open to correction, but i thought the advice was to squat, not lie down flat.

Mind you, when a thunderstorm snuck up on us near the summit of Feathertop once, all common sense seemed to leave us, as the ground sizzled, the lightning bolt hit 'just over there', and we ran
No apparent ditches or anything else, though. Maybe our subconscious thought was that it was harder for it to hit a moving target ...

Lightning (very close) is probably the one thing that I really don't like in the mountains (since that experience), and wouldn't plan to camp if there were seriously likely thunderstorms forecast. BUT there are lots of huts on Bogong High Plains (hmm - i'm out of touch since the fires, though). So you could plan around those if you had to. I never had to, though, in 100+ nights

[Pongo]

All of this is from memory and is all theory from reading, no practice.

I was reading that squatting is apparently the best way to go, you also need to place your hands on a particular spot (grab your ankles or something random like that - not at home so dont have the book on hand), the idea being that a current moves through you in a way that leaves your organs alone. Also best if you can squat on something non conductive (you lightweighters can use a non steel frame pack). Apparently groups need to spread out for a couple of reasons too. I might pull a few quotes from this bookie when I get home.

[ryantmalone]

I remember being at Cleve Cole Hut the morning the 2003 fires started. That was the most impressive small storm that I have ever seen. We could see smoke from Cleve Cole, made the quick decision to pack up and go right then and there. Walking from Cleve Cole to the top of Eskdale Spur, saw multiple ground strikes both starting the black Possum Spur fires, and hitting the ground on the summit ridge no more than what seemed to be 20 - 50 meters ahead of us.

Was a daunting day. One that I'll never forget. We didn't squat, or lay down on the ground... we just got the hell out of there!

[mikethepike]

1) It's LIGHTNING. No e.

Thanks NNW. I actually googled the topic and checked the spelling while I was there but still got it wrong! The word makes me nervous I think. Re the idea of standing on insulation, it makes me think it would be a good idea to squat on your blown up and folded over sleeping mat (and not the rucksack) or maybe the old fashioned CCF sleeping would be better. Any comments? The idea of spreading out is to just hopefully keep any mortality at one!

Lightning (very close) is probably the one thing that I really don't like in the mountains (since that experience), and wouldn't plan to camp if there were seriously likely thunderstorms forecast. BUT there are lots of huts on Bogong High Plains (hmm - i'm out of touch since the fires, though).

I thought of the huts and presumably they are safer than tents. Absolutely safe can anyone tell me? Are all the huts on and off the AAWT between Hotham and the Bogong track junction and shown on the 1:50,000 'Bogong Alpine Area' map (Map Copyright 1991) still there? I was not planning to use them on the walk but camp nearby some of them. Thanks.

[neilmny]

Your sleeping mat isn't going to help much, no more than rubber soled boots anyway.
We're talking about millions of volts here, that will break down the insulation very easily.

I'd be interested to see more on the sqatting theory as I was thinking that laying flat was the go.
In theory the "discharge" breaks away from a high point (tree, tower, lightning rod) much easier than a flat surface.

In reality if caught in a heavy storm I would curl up in the fetal position and gibber a lot!

[WarrenH]

When I was struck by lightning when riding my bike is a storm. I was in a low racing posture, hunched up and going for it. I was completely soaked, wet all over. These two things possibly prevented me from receiving greater injuries. The water may have worked like a Faraday cage, that was suggested to me in the hospital.

I was riding under an avenue of trees and when the tree beside me was struck, the lightning ricocheted and hit me ... the term for that is splash lightning.

A third of my helmet was missing, completely blown off my head. The only injury that was painful was where the current exited at each of my knuckles where my fingers joined my hands, there were burns.

Apparently, when people who are struck by lightning survive, they go into a condition or a phase, where they keep repeating "I've been struck by lightning,I've been struck by lightning". My wife reminds me that I said that dozens times, before I was seen in hospital.

The first thing that the Doc said to me was, "Is your hair normally white?" I was blonde and I told him. The Doc then said, "You're now white. People who are struck by lightning, their hair can turn white. You're white" Then the Doc suggested that I buy a lottery ticket. I didn't do that, not wanting to use up all of my luck.

Warren.

[Strider]

Warren, between this and your recent snakebite incident, I strongly suggest you refrain from going outdoors!

[WarrenH]

Come off it Strider, that's a Nanny State attitude ... I'm not killable.

Warren.

[MrWalker]

I'd be interested to see more on the sqatting theory as I was thinking that laying flat was the go.
In reality if caught in a heavy storm I would curl up in the fetal position and gibber a lot!

Curling up and gibbering would work too.

I've been told that the reason for squatting is to contact the ground over as short a distance as possible. When the charge is moving through the ground and reaches you it can pass through you more easily than a longish section of ground, so it does. But the charge through you is proportional to the volatge difference between the points of contact. If the points of contact with the ground are very close together (squatting) then you have a low volatge difference. Whereas if you are lying on the ground, spread out flat, the distance between first and last contact points is long and you have a high voltage difference.

So ideally only your feet contact the ground, as close together as possible, while you get as low to the ground as you possibly can to avoid vertical strikes.

[Greenie]

You could always take a ultra light faraday cage with you walking

[maddog]

I'd be interested to see more on the sqatting theory as I was thinking that laying flat was the go.
In reality if caught in a heavy storm I would curl up in the fetal position and gibber a lot!

Curling up and gibbering would work too.

But the charge through you is proportional to the volatge difference between the points of contact. If the points of contact with the ground are very close together (squatting) then you have a low volatge difference. Whereas if you are lying on the ground, spread out flat, the distance between first and last contact points is long and you have a high voltage difference.

So ideally only your feet contact the ground, as close together as possible, while you get as low to the ground as you possibly can to avoid vertical strikes.

You are right about putting your feet together or curling up into a ball, but gibbering will make no difference.

step_potential.jpg (74.99 KiB) Viewed 8333 times

[north-north-west]

Lie down flat on the ground and hope you're not unlucky.

I'm open to correction, but i thought the advice was to squat, not lie down flat.

So it would seem, but it's not a topic I've researched since I was a kid, when the 'lie down and hope' advice was the norm.
Personally, I think Mr Walker has it with his 'curl up & gibber'.

[geoskid]

The squat down and grab your ankles position would make it easier to kiss your *&%$#! goodbye.

[wildwalks]

NOLS have a good video here


It does not answer all the questions, but I think it is a pretty good production.
There are some very practical limitations with the ankle together squat position. How long can you hold that positon? When do you stop heading for safer ground to 'assume the position'? There is very little reliable research on the best survival positions.
I suspect this video this will open some debate over the use of sleeping mats - sorry about that

Matt

[neilmny]

Good post Matt thanks.
I know what I'll be doing in the next storm.
Sit on sleeping mat, feet close together and pray

[Hallu]

When I was struck by lightning when riding my bike is a storm. I was in a low racing posture, hunched up and going for it. I was completely soaked, wet all over. These two things possibly prevented me from receiving greater injuries. The water may have worked like a Faraday cage, that was suggested to me in the hospital.

I was riding under an avenue of trees and when the tree beside me was struck, the lightning ricocheted and hit me ... the term for that is splash lightning.

A third of my helmet was missing, completely blown off my head. The only injury that was painful was where the current exited at each of my knuckles where my fingers joined my hands, there were burns.

Apparently, when people who are struck by lightning survive, they go into a condition or a phase, where they keep repeating "I've been struck by lightning,I've been struck by lightning". My wife reminds me that I said that dozens times, before I was seen in hospital.

The first thing that the Doc said to me was, "Is your hair normally white?" I was blonde and I told him. The Doc then said, "You're now white. People who are struck by lightning, their hair can turn white. You're white" Then the Doc suggested that I buy a lottery ticket. I didn't do that, not wanting to use up all of my luck.

Warren.

Actually I would say that both your bike and the fact that it was a splash lightning prevented you from getting more serious injuries. Water couldn't possibly work as a Faraday cage, besides the human body is made of water anyway. There is no perfect attitude to adopt, lying flat on the ground is a terrible idea, if you're in a forested area it could prevent you from seeing falling limbs etc... and on open plains a bolt of lightning hitting the ground would surely burn your face... Just go into a cave, under some rocks, and if there's nothing like that, you may as well just walk, since you can't predict what the lightning is gonna hit anyway.

[maddog]

1. Step potential - your feet (or other parts of your body) are too far apart and at different voltages to the ground. So feet together
2. Touch potential - your body completes a circuit. So stay low to the ground

Illustrated in the diagram below.

step and touch.jpg (9.06 KiB) Viewed 8158 times