Saturday, July 27, 2024

Sarhara Desert and EPIC Thunderstorm


Above is Sahara Desert thousands of miles from us, in Africa. The weather map shows the Saharan dust that has covered us for the past few days.

 Who would believe, the Sahara Desert would break the drought in Central Florida? Not Me! 

It's True... the dust is causing Thunderstorms this past Sunday and Monday we have a storm each evening at 8 pm. Both storms, typically evening storms for Florida in summer were irate and loud and gave us an inch of rain. Gone in 20 minutes.

Mid-day, you can see on the map, Our beach was taking strikes, My son who lives in the white circle was taking strikes, we live on the white x and it was east of us but we got a quick shower and a few rumbles. Oh boy, we missed it I said... Along about 6 in the evening, the sky darkened, the wind howled and right over the roof to our house 

 a Flash, a Boom and a CRACK hit and shook the house, 4 times it did that. Rain came off the roof in torrents. 15 minutes of this and it was gone, and we were ok... the house did not burst into flames, (there have been 2 houses struck and burned this week) none of us was struck dead by lightning ( 2 were killed this week by lightning) and I heave a sigh of relief.

the next morning, our weather guy said We had an EPIC Thunderstorm last night! 150 lightning strikes in 15 minutes broke the record for the most ever strikes in that amount of time.  I think Epic might be an understatement.
There is good news though, we are in a giant heat dome, filled with Saharan Dust causing these thunderstorms, but the sand is blocking the ocean and gulf from Creating Hurricanes? 
I will take a storm a day against a hurricane any day..... Bob and Beau did not even flinch, I ducked my head every time it happened. Bob said if you see the flash and hear the boom, you are safe, if it hits you will not know it. Thanks, Bob
PS Friday Morning, 7/26 on the news i saw the damage done on Thursday evening T-Storm. The Fire Chief below is my 1st cousin once removed. he is the son of my 1st cousin Bonnie, who some of you might remember. a few miles from us, Lightning hit and burned this shed, split the giant oak tree and no photo but 3 people standing under a banyan tree were hit when a strike hit the tree and had to be transported but are alive.  


19 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

Oh my GOSH!!! I would have been terrified!!! Amazing that Beau did not get scared! If I remember correctly, Big Boy was terrified of storms.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

And there are many people, leading politicians among them, who believe that climate systems are not interconnected! Glad that you stayed safe.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
The butterfly effect proven yet again! I'd have been under the table. Big boomers have never been a favourite of mine. YAM xx

Ann said...

It's amazing how something so far away can make a difference in your weather. I have never minded thunderstorms. The only time they bothered me was when my roof was getting really bad and every time the wind blew I would find more shingles laying in the yard.

Rose said...

I have always loved storms, but am not so sure I would enjoy these...though I would be pleased with the rain.

DawnTreader said...

It can be really scary while going on, I know. We've had quite a bit of thunder this summer too, and I know there were some lightning strikes records broken here as well (i.e. south-west Sweden).

eileeninmd said...

Wow, the thunderstorms there are so scary.
I remember being spooked in our little place in Lakeland.
I am glad you were safe and I hope your sons was safe too.
Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend.

Donna said...

Good Grief !!!
Glad you are okay...I hate that people died from it...
hugs
Donna

Brian's Home Blog said...

My goodness, that was one heck of a nasty storm.

My Mind's Eye said...

Mother Nature and weather are truly amazing. I've been hearing about the Sahara dust keeping the tropical storms from forming too...but the dust is about over.
Lightning is very very scary..first cousin once removed. LOL I have a few of those too
Hugs cecilia

DeniseinVA said...

That’s fascinating how far things can travel and very interesting about the heat dome preventing hurricanes. I remember when Mt. Saint Helens erupted, we had ash floating down when we lived in California, over 1000 miles away, and the sky was yellow. I appreciated the maps, great visuals. Amazing it broke your drought and glad you were all okay in that thunderstorm, sounded scary and a real a doozy. Bob’s remark gave me a chuckle though. Interesting about your relative and glad the people under the banyan tree are alive.

Mevely317 said...

Oh.My.Gosh!!! Living in Florida sure ain't for the faint of heart. (Good thing I was largely oblivious all those years.) I'm trying to wrap my mind around that Saharan Dust, but if it means fewer hurricanes that's a Good thing.

Only second to tornados, lightning is my biggest fear. I had to read and re-read what Bob said. Like you, I chuckled, but it's oddly comforting.

Your visuals are so entertaining!

photowannabe said...

Wowzers...my goodness what a crazy bunch of storms you have had. I'm so glad you are safe and your property is getting watered.
So sorry for the deaths and destruction around you though.
Crazy boomers but glad Bob and Beau didn't flinch.
Love your colorful comments added to the description.
Hope the day goes well for you.
Sue

Chatty Crone said...

Sandra, I find that weather stuff amazing. The desert causes rain in Florida??? And a humdinger of a one too. Stops hurricanes. That is AMAZING!

Sparky said...

One of my first Doctors I chose when first moving here to SE Georgia later was struck by lightning. He survived but it messed his mind and health up something bad. He had to retire early. I hope that hasn't happened to those that were struck and survived.
I'm enjoying all these rains. Our grass is very happy.
Y'all be safe. 💙

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Epic is a good word to describe that storm, but COLOSSAL might fit too. Mom hates the big booms and so do we. We hope there aren't too many more to come and no hurricanes either.

Woos - Misty and Timber

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Seriously, that's crazy! Wow, that was a crazy storm you had that evening. I can't believe 2 houses burned and 2 people were struck by the lighting this week. That is so sad. It broke a record, that's crazy!! So glad you are safe. Yes, the storm is better than a hurricane. Oh my, I can't believe that last paragraph. Glad they were okay.

CheerfulMonk said...

Wow! I.’m so glad you are all right! ❤️

Ida said...

Wow that is quite a story about the storm. It's great you got rain. I enjoy watching a good thunderstorm here but yours sounded perhaps a bit more intense over all. Glad nothing was burned or damaged and yep, Bob's comment was amusing to say the least.