Storms
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Cloud Lightning

Brilliant blue 'arc flash' filmed crackling along power lines in Dayton, Ohio during storm

Amanda Kooser
CNET
Wed, 07 Jun 2017 09:23 UTC
Arc flash in Ohio
© Via YouTube/Scott Beale
It looks unreal. A video posted on Tuesday shows a crackling fireball traveling along a utility line in Dayton, Ohio. The footage comes from Laughing Squid founder Scott Beale's brother Chip Beale. The scene was "a recent hailstorm with insane winds." We can forgive the vertical video because the action is so frightening and fascinating.

There's the sound of lightning cracking, followed by a blue fireball traveling behind some trees.

The video may depict an electrical event known as an "arc flash." GE Industrial Solutions describes this:
An arc flash event can expel large amounts of deadly energy. The arc causes an ionization of the air, and arc flash temperatures can reach as high as 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hotter than the surface of the sun.
This sort of traveling fireball is rarely caught on camera, but a similar incident happened in Montreal during a 2013 windstorm. LiveScience traced the cause of the dramatic Montreal event to an arc flash.

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill 57 within 10 weeks in Myanmar (Burma); compares to 10 deaths for roughly the same period in 2016

Myint Kay Thi
The Myanmar Times
Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:32 UTC
lightning
From April to end of May last year 10 people died from lightning strikes, but this year the figure has risen to 57 between April and June 6, with another 18 people injured, according to the Department of Relief and Resettlement.

Apart from Chin State, there were casualties in other states and regions. Deaths from lightning strikes were highest in Ayeyarwady Region with 14, while Bago Region had eight deaths, Tanintharyi Region had seven, Magwe Region had six and Yangon Region had five.

There were also fatalities and injuries from strong winds. According to the department's figures for March to May 26, 19 people were killed and 30 people injured by strong winds, which also destroyed more than 13,000 houses and about 160 religious buildings.

"In the past few years, cumulonimbus clouds have been forming in a wider area, even in Ayeyarwady, Bago and Yangon. This year, there has been more lightning and hailstorms from these clouds and we have had more reports of people being hit by lightning," U Kyaw Moe Oo, deputy director general of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, said Wednesday.
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Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill 6 across Bihar, India


The Statesman
Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:26 UTC
lightning
At least six people, including children and women, were killed after being hit by lightning across Bihar as heavy rains lashed a large part of the state on Wednesday, the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority said.

Four people, including two women and one girl child, in Dhaamdaha block in Purnea district and two people including a woman in Aaryaari block in Sheikhpura district.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs.4 lakh each to the affected families.

A large part of Bihar including Patna on Wednesday received medium and heavy rainfall. These were pre-monsoon showers, according to local Met department officials, adding that the state will continue to witness pre-monsoon showers over the next 48 hours.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service
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Cloud Precipitation

Video captures microburst over Austin, Texas

Jim Spencer
KXAN
Tue, 06 Jun 2017 18:58 UTC
microburst over Austin, Texas
© YouTube/KXAN (screen capture)
Tree limb damage and a destroyed billboard on North Lamar Boulevard Monday were the result of a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst," and it was captured on video.

Downburst, or on a smaller scale, microburst winds are not rare in Texas thunderstorms, but capturing them in a video time lapse is. That is exactly what Victor Ituarte did while heavy thunderstorms moved over the middle of Austin late Monday afternoon.

His video captured the dramatic moment the collapsing pocket of cold air and rain rushed to the ground, fanning out at speeds of 40-50 mph.


Comment: On Sunday June 4th an incredible downburst engulfed Dallas, Texas.

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Tornado2

Rare waterspout recorded in waters off Beihai, S.W. China

CGTN
YouTube
Wed, 07 Jun 2017 06:16 UTC
China waterspout
© YouTube/CGTN (screen capture)
A rare waterspout was spotted off the coast of Beihai City, in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday, in a jaw-dropping scene that fascinated residents. Witnesses were quick to take out their phones and record the first video footage of a vortex of water swirling near the city. The whirlwind lasted for about ten minutes.

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills three family members in Rajasthan, India


DNA
Wed, 07 Jun 2017 18:19 UTC
lightning
Three members of a family were killed as lightning struck a tree under which they had taken shelter in the Jagdishpura village falling under the Khanpur police station in Jhalawar district today.

Yogendra Nagar (40), his wife Sugna Bai and their son Lokendra (13), who were working in the fields, had taken shelter under a tree when they were struck by thunderbolts, SHO Khanpur, Surjeet Tholiya, said.

He said that the couple had two sons, of which one died in the natural calamity.

After post-mortem the bodies were handed over for the last rites, the official said.

Source: Press Trust of India

Comment: On the same day in another district of India a man and his daughter were killed by lightning in Rajouri.

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Cloud Precipitation

Storm wreaks havoc in Cape Town, South Africa


eNCA
Wed, 07 Jun 2017 05:23 UTC
Cape Town storm
© Robin Adams/Weekend Argus
Residents of Cape Town are being urged to avoid the roads, if possible.

Rain and strong winds are battering the city.

Emergency shelters are on standby as a vicious storm lashes the Western Cape.

Several people have been displaced in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, where the roofs of some homes have blown off.

Displaced people are being housed at a school in Maitland.

In Lavender Hill, two people have been injured.

Roofs also blew off homes in Strand, Kalkfontein, Delft and Mfuleni.

Trees were uprooted in Durbanville and in Plumstead a tree landed on a block of flats.
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Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills four children and seriously injures two others in Jharkhand, India


Business Standard
Tue, 06 Jun 2017 19:15 UTC
LIGHTNING
© Representational Image
Four children were killed and two seriously injured when lightning struck them at Mundaro village in Giridih district today, police said.

The children were all playing cricket and had taken shelter under a tree as rain accompanied by thunderbolt struck the area, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Deepak Sharma said.

The SDPO said Asif Ansari (7), Saheed Ansari (9), Hasan Ansari (7) and Umar Farooq (9) were killed as lightning struck them while Mister Ansari (9) and Ahmed Ansari (12) were injured.

The injured have been rushed to nearby hospital, where they were undergoing treatment.

Source: Press Trust of India
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Cloud Precipitation

Incredible downburst engulfs Dallas, Texas (VIDEOS)


Sott.net
Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:41 UTC
Dallas downburst
© twitter/jack_jack62192 (screen capture)
A weather phenomenon known as a downburst descended upon Dallas, Texas on Sunday June 4th 2017. The amazing sight was captured by many on social media.

The downburst was also filmed by Nacorsha Anderson from a passing plane.
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Windsock

'Mini tornado' wrecks Cornhill Highland Games, Scotland


BBC
Sun, 04 Jun 2017 06:29 UTC
Cornhill mini tornado
© Shona HayFive minutes after the sudden storm the weather was 'flat calm' again
A Highland Games in a north-east village had to be abandoned after a "mini tornado" swept through the site.

Villagers in Cornhill, near Banff, had been enjoying the annual event at the playing fields on Saturday afternoon.

After a spell of "beautiful" sunshine, the storm blew in, wreaking havoc on the park and lifting the first aid tent over a marquee and into the arena.

No-one was seriously hurt, but the games secretary Shona Hay said the noise was terrifying.

"Ten minutes before this we had a beautiful sunny day," she said.

"It was just torrential. Everybody ran for cover and a wind seemed to appear from nowhere and lifted our first aid tent and some of the stall holders' tents.

"And then the noise was just terrifying - the noise of the wind and the folks screaming."

She added: "The wind just swept through the park tearing up the tents, just clearing the arena and everything in its path. It swept through the village and five minutes later it was flat calm again."

Comment: Another 'mini tornado' was reported further south in the English town of Blackburn as it swept through an industrial estate.

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