Warning on Warning

[Jayps68]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-06/m ... ce/8095280

Sad news this morning from Mt Warning regarding an American struck by lightning and killed.
Apparently he and his partner were camped against/near a tree. Allegedly he had his feet against the tree, she did not.

They tell us not to camp on the summit, and these warnings should be heeded.

Condolances to his partner and family.

[RonK]

That happened yesterday. ABC News 24 were already reporting it when my telly turned on at 6:35am. A very sad event.

I was wakened by the thunder sometime in the early hours - drfifted back to sleep but woke again to the sound of heavy rain. Checked the weather radar and could see red/yellow from Brisbane as far south as Yamba and covering the entire Northern Rivers district.

So it was unfortunate timimg to choose that night to camp on the summit, and there would have been no sunrise to see anyway.

Mt Warning is a well-known lightning magnet. It is the highest point in the area, but I can't help but wonder if the steel chain to the summit and the steel posts of the viewing platform actually attract lightning.

As reported, many climb to summit in the early hours to watch the sunrise (I have done it myself). At only a short distance from Cape Byron (Byron Bay), the easternmost point of mainland Australia, it is the place that sees the first view of sunrise.

But it's surprising that anyone else would have gone up early and found them given the overcast conditions.

There was another big thunderstorm early this morning with almost 39,000 lightning strikes in SEQ.

[north-north-west]

Mt Warning is a well-known lightning magnet. It is the highest point in the area, but I can't help but wonder if the steel chain to the summit and the steel posts of the viewing platform actually attract lightning..

The indigenous name 'Wollumbin' has been variously interpreted as 'Cloud-catcher' and 'Storm-bringer' (amongst other things). Its reputation precedes the chain and platform by a very long distance.

Last edited by north-north-west on Wed 07 Dec, 2016 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[RonK]

Quite so - but that doesn't preclude the possibility that the metal accoutrements on the summit attract even more lightning strikes.

[Gadgetgeek]

Sad story, while I doubt the tree had much to do with it, its one of those "never know" sorts of things. Lighting is a matter of percentages, a little one way or the other, heart on the start of the beat or the middle, just a little more insulation or less, all those things can be the factor. Best thing is to do as advised, but at the end of the day, something is going to get you. Really easy to see why lightning is associated with the supernatural, it sort of seems like who it takes is not always up to rhyme or reason.

[gbagua]

Quite so - but that doesn't preclude the possibility that the metal accoutrements on the summit attract even more lightning strikes.

FYI:

http://stormhighway.com/small_metal_obj ... g_myth.php

I also thought the same until I saw that article.

[jdeks]

Metal doesn't 'attract' lightning. Nothing does. Lighting propagates down in a play of random 'streamers' at voltages so high that just about anything is a conductor. It's just looking to get to earth. If theres something tall and substantial close to a given downward streamer at a given instant, it'll tend to go for that. If another gets to the ground first, it strikes there. But when you're coming in at 350 000kph from 50 000ft, it all just looks like a big dirt lump.

If this fella was lying with his feet on the tree, thats a reeeeal bad place to be. If the tree was struck, it basically becomes giant electrode itself. He'd end up with a major (lethal) electropotential difference between his feet and his head.

Best thing you can do IIRC is stand about 50ft away with your feet as close together as you can....and hope.

[swarvo88]

that is really unlucky since the lookout on the east side has a 150mm2 earth with electrode under it with a post that is meant to catch the lighting and allow it to earth with the least amount of resistance just poor circumstances i'm guessing

[kjbeath]

that is really unlucky since the lookout on the east side has a 150mm2 earth with electrode under it with a post that is meant to catch the lighting and allow it to earth with the least amount of resistance just poor circumstances i'm guessing

That will just be to protect the lookout if it is hit. Contrary to what people think, metal doesn't attract lightning. If they had placed a 30m tower then it might have provided some protection then it's height would have provided a path for the lightning providing some protection near the top of the mountain. Still, lightning is strange stuff so anywhere near being the highest point around is best avoided.