Be careful in that FL storm!

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

DH and I went to AK this past Thursday. The day started out cloudy but warm. We ate at Breakfastosaurus, rode our favorite rides, and just decided to call it a day when it started raining. Ok, we're used to this afternoon drenching...DH puts on his poncho, I open up my umbrella. The rain really starts coming down, it's a torrential downpour. There is so much water that my shoes are soaked completely. People are actually splashing me, running through the huge puddles. We make it to the exit, cold and wet. It's still raining and starting to thunder and lightning. We wait for a while with hordes of other people...it was pointless though becuase even with a poncho you were already soaked. After a while of waiting, the rain seems to slow down a little and we decide to try to make it to the WL bus stop. STUPID me carries my umbrella. About halfway to the stop, there is a huge lightning bolt in front of us and I throw my umbrella on the ground. I got so scared. I look over and DH is laying on the ground!!!! I'm not kidding!! I kept asking him if he was ok; he wasn't really saying anything. A family in front of us stops and the father said he felt something hit him on the head. DH gets up and starts walking, saying he is ok. He said once we got under cover that it felt liked someone smacked him in the head and he fell forward. He actually had bruises on his arm and leg where he fell. I don't know if the bolt was attracted to my umbrella or not. DH is 6' 7" and the area where we walking is really flat with no real tall objects.

All I can say is this was really scary! Please be careful in those summer storms! I was kind of ignoring the storm...it was loud, but it seemed to be moving away. That lightning came from nowhere.

 

[minijeanie]

WOW!!

glad DH is alright. I know what you mean...We got caught at MGM last Wednesday...Torrential downpour for at least an hour or so...

hopefully, you were able to continue the trip in less fear.

 

[Mysteria]

Must have been scary for you and your DH! Glad you are both ok.

Myst

 

[llij]

How scary! I am so glad that you all are ok!

 

[Aidensmom]

Yep, you need to take the thunderstorms seriously here. FL has a lot of dangerous lightning.

 

[SleepingUgly]

Very scary! So glad to hear that you and dh and all others are OK!

Linda

 

[eeyore45]

How kind of you to post the warning! So often we think that bad things happen in the news! Thanks for reminding us on how dangerous that thunder/lightning is!

 

[eeyore0062]

Last fall a little girl was killed walking home from the bus stop with an umbrella in Orlando. Don't mess around with the storms in Florida... that is why it is called the Lightening Capital of the world!

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

Thank you everyone! Yes, it certainly made me more aware of lightning dangers. I still can't believe it happened!

 

[loriandmatt]

i know the instinct is to take the long journey to your car and get the heck out of there, but if you have the option to take cover in a shop or show or any sort of overhang in the parks.....do so. much safer to wait it out.

glad to hear that you are both OK - how creepy was that experience?!?!?!

- lori

 

[DisneyWisher]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0623_040623_lightningfacts.html

Look at the pic to the right on this site. Lightning is hitting (or hitting near)the space shuttle.

Here's some of the facts from the site:
• Victims of lightning do not retain the charge and are not "electrified." It is safe to help them.

• Rubber shoes will not give you any meaningful protection from lightning.

• Lightning can—and often does—strike in the same place twice. Tall buildings and monuments are frequently hit by lightning.

• A motor car with a metal top can offer you some protection—but keep your hands from the metal sides.

• An umbrella can increase your chances of being struck by lightning if it makes you the tallest object in the area.

• Always avoid being the highest object anywhere—or taking shelter near or under the highest object, including tall trees. Avoid being near a lightning rod or standing near metal objects such as a fence or underground pipes.

Best bet is wait out the storm. Why take a chance? If it looks like a rainy day I would avoid AK since so much of it is outside and there are not alot of stores like on Main Street or MGM.

 

[iwannabeminnie]

I am so glad you are both okay.

 

[Feralpeg]

It always amazes me the number of tourists who walk around during the thunderstorms here like they are nothing. Lightening here is nothing to take for granted.

I'm so glad your husband is okay.

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

All I can say is WOW!!! I'm glad he was ok!

 

[TEXASPRINCESSES]

Got the chills reading this as we were caught in tons of storms during our June visit...so glad it didn't become anything more serious!

 

[HotMama]

I'm so glad your DH is alright!!! Thanks for the warning.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

I am glad he is alright also. Storms in the south are nothing to mess around with. You either are worrying about the lightning in Florida and at my home you worry about that and the ugly tornados. Storms are fun to watch but can turn deadly.

Matt

 

[eeyore0062]

If you look closely at all of the buildings at Walt Disney World, you will see they all have lightning rods. It does help, but cannot totally rule out a lightning strike on an umbrella or tree (don't stand under them in storms, either), if you aren't near a building.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Thank goodness that your DH is alright. Glad that you are okay too. That was pretty scary! I am terrified of lightning and I never take thunderstorms lightly. As soon as I hear the thunder and see the lightning, the children and I always take cover.

Last year in June, there was a thunderstorm that night and we were at Epcot. We drove. So... we forgot what row we parked our car and me and my children were out there going though some lanes when the the rain started pouring and then "BAM!!" We hear the thunder and saw the lightning... Oh my gosh... I was panicking!! I just went and hit the "alarm" so I can find my car. We finally found our car and started running. We got in the car and we were soaked wet! I was praying so hard and I was so scared. I was so scared I couldn't even get out of the car to head back in our resort. It was that bad and I was that scared.

 

[pirateparrot]

About halfway to the stop, there is a huge lightning bolt in front of us and I throw my umbrella on the ground. I got so scared. I look over and DH is laying on the ground!!!! I'm not kidding!! I kept asking him if he was ok; he wasn't really saying anything. A family in front of us stops and the father said he felt something hit him on the head. DH gets up and starts walking, saying he is ok. He said once we got under cover that it felt liked someone smacked him in the head and he fell forward. He actually had bruises on his arm and leg where he fell. I don't know if the bolt was attracted to my umbrella or not. DH is 6' 7" and the area where we walking is really flat with no real tall objects.

I am glad to hear everyone is OK. Are you sure you didn't whack him in the head with your umbrella? Just kidding.

My Dad was walking across a parking lot one night and felt the hair stand up on his arm a second or two before lightning hit a lightpole in the parking lot. Needless to say it scared him a biot.