[TowerTalk] Fwd: Static Discharge Porcupines?

[Jim Lux]

On 8/12/15 9:04 AM, David Robbins wrote:
> "It appears to me that there are no ways to predict where the lightning will strike. Yes, you know that it will be somewhere below a the thunder storm passing by but the strikes seem to ignore high structures from not that high."
>
> actually no, you don't know that it will be somewhere below the thunderstorm.  the large positive strokes often reach out quite a distance from the cloud.  This
> is because they normally originate from the top of the cloud and come out horizontally then down.  these strokes are where the phrase 'bolt from the blue' came from as they can appear to come out of clear blue sky.
>
> __

This phenomenon is a significant cause of the injuries and deaths from 
lightning in Florida. 15-20km horizontal distance is not unusual.

Hence the guidance: If you see thunderstorms, get out of the water. 
Visual horizon for 2m above the surface is 5km away.