Storm Chase 7/30

[cheapski]

I saw the satellite building up the clouds more westward so I set out along the Angeles Crest Highway. Unfortunately, by the time I started the buildups had already retreated back towards the east, but the one that was left was strong.

From just east of the Barley Flats area looking east



Approaching the tstorm from the west at the ACH snow gate @ 6000 ft.



The storm was sitting on top of Valyermo and Devils Punchbowl. I stopped just short of Dawson Saddle because a photog told me he had just gotten off there, the lightning was so close.



Lightning! Click on pic for short video



Of course the biggest fattest bolt struck the Punchbowl right in front of me as I stood there with my camera, not filming. Aargh. However I did get this multi bolt. There's a slow mo right after so the bolts can be seen.

Tstorm clip looking toward Valyermo

The storm was winding down or moving away fairly rapidly after this. This happened to be when NWS LOX broadcast their flash flood warning. Now I have serious doubts about their radar because the sun was literally shining, the rain had stopped and things were calm. Since things were winding down I toodled up to Inspiration Point.

I saw a fire opposite Blue Ridge started by the lightning



Looking back to the storm over Wrightwood as I headed down to the desert



Valyermo had evidence of some flash flooding and storm damage. I crossed areas of standing water, rocks and mud, and a utility crew repairing a line that had been damaged by a fallen tree.

This flooding was running swiftly and a little deeper than this photo looks.

[snowtrekker]

Great pictures! It's nice to be able to experience the event vicariously even when I can't be there myself.

[MountainNut]

Very nice fotos and TR, cheaps. This is a cool thread and bound to be rather popular in the future. Just update the subject title to Storm Chase Aug 2011? (or start a brand-new thread..)

Love the lightning foto. Guess it's alot easier if you have video-record going when you pan-out, hoping for a strike for a still-capture.

Has anyone seen a clip where a person's camera is rolling when a strike actually hits either the camera person or immediately nearby (captured on video - YouTube)?

[cheapski]

Yeah I think unless you can put a still cam on a long exposure night shot, its easier to roll the video.

I think if lightning hit a camera it would fry the chip inside.

[snowtrekker]

Has anyone seen a clip where a person's camera is rolling when a strike actually hits either the camera person or immediately nearby (captured on video - YouTube)?

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better video than this. Strike is around 3:10.

Youtube actually has quite a few of these, but most people (understandably) panic and move the camera.

[cheapski]

It makes me wonder why he didnt cut out the first 3:00.

[MountainNut]

Yeah I think unless you can put a still cam on a long exposure night shot, its easier to roll the video.

I think if lightning hit a camera it would fry the chip inside.

Or so too, maybe the camera's circuitry..

I just thought that if a person can survive a lightning strike, can a camera survive that as well?

I imagine the odds of someone with rolling video, happening right during a lightning strike, are pretty damn remote, eh?