Lightning and a body of water

[cabaiguan juan]

I have always been puzzled by this question and as I’m grilling dinner while watching a thunderstorm make it’s way over the Chesapeake bay, it seams appropriate to ask this question:

when lightning strikes a lake or a bay/ocean, how far of a radius does it electrocute the water around where it strikes? For hypothetical instance, if I am floating in the water a 100 yards away from where lightning strikes the water, would I be shocked by the lightning or not? Can anyone answer or direct me to the answer?

 

[drunkfish3]

I have always been puzzled by this question and as I’m grilling dinner while watching a thunderstorm make it’s way over the Chesapeake bay, it seams appropriate to ask this question:

when lightning strikes a lake or a bay/ocean, how far of a radius does it electrocute the water around where it strikes? For hypothetical instance, if I am floating in the water a 100 yards away from where lightning strikes the water, would I be shocked by the lightning or not? Can anyone answer or direct me to the answer?

When Lightning Strikes | Ocean Today

oceantoday.noaa.gov

 

[cabaiguan juan]

When Lightning Strikes | Ocean Today

oceantoday.noaa.gov

Thanks Chester but it doesn’t really give me any quantifiable distances. Just guidelines.

 

[jfields]

 

[jfields]

How close do you have to be to a lightning strike in the sea for it to shock you?

In a thunderstorm, being totally immersed in sea water is often a better bet that hiding out on your boat or surfboard, even with the chance of sharks!

www.google.com

 

[Gavin]

Redirect Notice

 

[stogie fan]

if you hop in the water right before the lightning strikes then you won't have to ask.

and besides that point, search is your friend, as I have often read here.

 

[TexasTraveler]

Got this one from my balcony a few minutes ago.

 

[cabaiguan juan]

Thanks @jfields gives me some quantifiable distance. It’s interesting that you are safer being completely submerged then partially submerged. I wonder how and why.

 

[cabaiguan juan]

Got this one from my balcony a few minutes ago.
View attachment 46203

Where you safe or shocked?

 

[TexasTraveler]

Where you safe or shocked?

Definitely safe!!!

 

[stogie fan]

Got this one from my balcony a few minutes ago.
View attachment 46203

That is a nice one & always fun stuff to photograph lightning.

Many years ago I had a hobby within a hobby of photographing lightning. I used my old Nikon 35 mm film camera, and with no additional lens.
My favorite lightning shot was from August, 1997; I was on Santa Rosa Island/Pensacola, FL. It was about 00:30 and I captured some very excellent CC lightning, with a 15 second shutter time. Color film, of course but at 00:30 it sure looks B&W. The shot captured the sugar white Appalachian granite beach, the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the clouds, and of course the CC lightning. Fantastic shot. Fun stuff .......

 

[Thoughts]

Got this one from my balcony a few minutes ago.
View attachment 46203

Those fish were like fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc