The US Will See 50 Percent More Lightning Strikes, Thanks to Global Warming

motherjones.com ^ | 11/13/2014 | Tim McDonnell

[rktman]

By now we're familiar with some of the scarier potential impacts of climate change: Floods, fires, stronger hurricanes, violent conflicts. Well, here's a new one to add to your nightmares. Lightning strikes in the continental United States will increase roughly 12 percent for every degree Celsius of global warming, a study published today in Science finds. If warming continues unchecked, that could translate into a 50 percent increase in lightning by the end of the century—three strikes then for every two strikes now. (On average, there are currently about 25 million strikes per year.)

[MeshugeMikey]

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Expect ZOTs on FR to increase by 50 percent, too!

The viking kitties will be busy!

DOOMAGE!

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[facedown]

The comments are priceless. One or two AGW nuts getting the tar smacked out of them by “deniers”. Best part is the “deniers” counter slammed the nuts by calling them “fact deniers”, lol.

[norwaypinesavage]

As a global warming skeptic, this is one story that could have me worried. You see, I've "suffered" at least a half dozen lightning strikes over my lifetime. Since you probably don't believe me, I'll list them:
1) Lightning hit my garden shed, delaminating much of the plywood used in its construction.
2. My car was struck while driving up I75, causing much havoc with the computers on board, but no permanent damage.
3., 4. My cabin was struck twice, while we were there. The first time, it took out two computers, the TV, garage door opener, and other stuff. The second hit physically destroyed the power insulator on the power pole, taking several days to replace.
5., 6. Our house was struck twice, while were were there. Each time it destroyed a tree near the house, and also did damage inside the house, including wiping out electronic and electrical devices.
In this half dozen, I'm not including the time I watched lightning strike a power pole to the left of my driveway while I was turning right into my driveway, and also lightning damage to two trees on our property where I was not aware of any of the strikes at the time.

So maybe there's something to this global warming stuff after all?

[Ditter]

No glowbull warming is still a hoax but seriously......... you need to move.

[norwaypinesavage]

"you need to move"

It's been at four different houses, and the car hit was 150 miles from home.

[Ditter]

Yikes, maybe you need to move underground. We have been hit once. We had a house on Galveson Bay, the third story window frame was hit. Knocked out all electronics etc. We were not there at the time.

Every other place we have lived we were surrounded by huge trees and they have been hit. Maybe that is the answer!

[rktman]

Well, based on your story, sounds like Ma Nature is trying to let you know, you got too much stuff. LOL! I had a couple close encounters when we still lived in FL. I always thought (a stretch for sure) that lighting and thunder were created when warm and cold air masses collided. If it’s supposedly gettin’ warmer, wouldn’t we have less clashing air? Or would that just mean that colder is colder and warmer is warmer? These people sure try to keep us evil deniers confused. :>}