Yesterday I was all ready to go out for a fun filled session to quell my stress. That was until I heard Thunder.
I know a little about weather, I see how destructive it can be on a daily basis and this includes lightning. It can, and does blown wingtips off aircraft if the strike is big enough! Lightning strikes the earth 100 times a second!
Ive done a little investigation, so here are the facts:
Previous studies have identified patterns associated with lightning fatalities. For example, approximately 30% of persons struck by lightning die, and 74% of lightning strike survivors have permanent disabilities. In addition, persons with cranial burns or leg burns from lightning are at higher risk for death than others struck by lightning . Loss of consciousness occurs in 75% of those struck. 63% percent of lightning-associated deaths occur within 1 hour of injury. Of persons who died from lightning strikes, 52% were engaged in outdoor recreational activities, and 25% were engaged in work activities. Most lightning injuries and deaths can be prevented by taking precautions.
These figures are not surprising considering that lightning has been measured at more than 1,000,000+ volts per foot in the air, which has a much high resistance than a piece of wire (or kite line) and may be more than 50,000Amps (1/10 of an Amp is enough to kill a human). Temperatures can exceed 50,000 Degrees Fahrenheit (thats why Thunder is heard its the air expanding so fast that causes this).

Needless to say I packed up. I was quite concerned that the guys I were with didnt seem to have the same understanding of the danger they were in. Yes, Ive heard the stories of kiters landing a jump - only to receive little shocks and maybe a bit of an aurora. Sounds great, however you really are playing with lightning. The only way it can be safer in this environment is to get your kite lower than the pole boarder next to you with their carbon lightning rod sticking straight up! Then its just a game of numbers, try not to run out of them! Get in - get down!

Yesterdays weather pattern was a great example of how we can predict thunderstorms. What youre seeing in the pictures below is an occluded front, see the two fronts (arms) spiraling from a center point.
http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/fobs.php?foi=Y21yqP9xLKEuY2ygLJqyY2AbLKW0Y3WuMTyiMzS4K3Ehrv8jZP8lZQN0ZGRlZmNjZQNhM2yz Hope the pic works!!
The slow moving warm front (rounded shape) brings warm moist air and is quite wide (about 300 nautical miles across) and quite low in altitude. When a cold front (the sharp triangular one which is faster moving) meets the warm front it sets up a reaction, which causes major up draughts. The cold front is quite short in profile and is high in altitude.
In a clear sky you can see a Thunderstorm and it has the classic Anvil shaped cloud (CB or Cumulonimbus) however when there is an occluded front as there was yesterday there is a lot of other cloud around which is due to the warm front so you wont be able to see it (this is called an embedded CB (embedded in the other surrounding cloud)).
Inside the cloud there is a lot of air going up and a lot of air coming down including rain and these particles and water droplets rub against one another causing static electricity to build. Finally when there is enough charge in the cloud (which has acted like a natural capacitor) and down she comes zap. Lightning. It knows no direction only shortest path. Just because you think the storms over there a couple of kms doesnt mean it cant get you. It can strike from 10 miles away!


Ben Franklin
On a storm-tossed June day in 1752, Ben Franklin, joined by his son William, hoisted a kite with a wire poking out of it high over Philadelphia. As the skies darkened, the kite's hemp string bristled with electricity, like a cat's fur after being stroked. Franklin brought his knuckles close to a brass key dangling from the end of the string. A spark leaped through the air, giving him a powerful jolt.

The Human Effects of Lightning Strikes and Recommendations for Storm Chasers: www.harkphoto.com/light.html

The 30-30 Rule
www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_01_010702/mak10009_fm.html


Awaiting discussion...[/img]

Ok, so the weather pic didn't come out, however the link works.

finally someone has tried to wrap their head around the science behind this phenomena. as ben franklin and others have found, flying things in the air during electrical activity is a bad idea, however i believe from personal experience (and no scientific data whatsoever), there are less serious consequences when you are on or above the water. i've had four incidents now when i've repeatedly released electrical energy into the water when coming in from a jump. more later...i have to go!

Wouldnt go anywhere near the water in a storm!! Especially with wet kite lines......
problem is that on the water you can gaurentee that you are the highest thing around and guess what....lightening kinda likes that. but i hear that nylon kite fireballs look pretty, well, hot....

No no its OK to kite...........just make sure your kite lines are shorter than your mates ones.
OK maybe not. Had a few shocks off the control bar before. Sometimes you can't tell if there is thunder-a-commin. However, you soon learn to put the kite down.

I sooo need a session, been almost two weeks without and I'm now looking to sex as an alternative. Unfortunately sex just doesn't give you the same two hour orgasm kiting does!! :twisted:

stick to kiting dude. at least wind is free and there's a chance it may come your way.

me old kite muckers in the UK were always bragging 'bout getting stung by lightning when out kiting - something about the lines being conductors I think

IKO strongly recommends NOT kiting in a thunderstorm and I reckon they have the right idea - if you want a shock, go stick your fingers in a socket (I am not endorsing this kind of beaviour - children, don't go sticking your fingers in sockets!!!!!)

I was out at the spit when the thunder started
having a wicked session just me and a pole guy on the water
then the rain started and with the thunder sounding
like it was right on top of me and with now soaking kite
and lines decieded to quit while I was ahead
didnt fancy a BBQ

Do many people get struck in nz a year? :shock:

Me and Joel were out at Bramley that night, just before the NW change! I packed away before the rain, but Joel being the soldier fool kept going right thru the 90 degree wind change on his 15m Fuel, I had the camera trained on the clouds and his kite, just waiting for something to happen..

feck yas! :twisted:

Sorry to disappoint you all, but there was no lightning that I saw.

Just a little lite sun shower. You blouses need to harden !!!

hehe there was lightning, couple of strikes while you were out, you just couldn't see them for the rain in your eyes, or hear them for the wake off your board ! Scotty noticed the lightning just before I came in !