MikeLigalig.com

Photo: Ryan Pastorino

Lightning striking the skyscrapers of Chicago.

What exactly happens when lightning strikes a skyscraper? Let's take the Empire State Building as an example. The iconic Art Deco tower – a veritable old-fashioned gentleman among today’s skyscrapers – was, according to some sources, designed as a giant lightning rod from the day it opened its doors in 1931. In fact, scientists from the American Institute of Electrical Engineers recorded every single one of the Empire State Building’s lightning strikes between 1934 and 1937 on film, in order to determine the speed with which lightning strikes (10,000 miles per second, apparently, although that figure is still open to debate). The recordings continued as, in the words of one weather blog, “scientists measured some of the very first oscillographic readings of lightning currents there using tethered balloons in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.” (Simone Preuss)

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=67676.0

Photo: Ann VB

As well as surfing, theme parks and hot air ballooning, visitors to Australia’s popular Gold Coast can add another attraction to their thrill list: going to the suburb of Surfers Paradise and watching lightning strike the Q1 landmark – while snugly inside it. Inspired by the Olympic torch and standing at a whopping 1,058 feet (322.5 m), the Q1 is the world’s fifth tallest residential building. As one source claims: “Visitors like to lay out on the floor during thunderstorms to watch lightning strike the Q1's impressive 97.7 meter spire.” Judging by this incredible image, it must be one heck of an experience, and certainly not one for the faint of heart! (Simone Preuss)

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=67676.0

Photo: Aris Vrakas

Here’s an image of the Willis Tower being struck by lightning on April 4, 2010. At 1,451 feet (442 m), the building formerly known as the Sears Tower is the ninth tallest skyscraper in the world and is thus bound to have its fair share of lightning strikes. A couple of years before this, when an observer had asked how the antenna could withstand the lightning, Tom Skilling, WGN-TV's chief meteorologist, offered a helpful explanation. Skilling said: “The antenna is not being hit directly – the appearance not withstanding. Instead, a corona of charged ions which pools up around the antenna is interacting with a charge descending from above to give off the light we see in these lightning strikes.” Interesting! (Simone Preuss)

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=67676.0

Photo: Elven Chen

Our number two is the number five when it comes to its standing among the world’s tallest skyscrapers, at an impressive 1,670 feet (509 m). This incredible lightning strike – which seems to be directly attacking the tower’s antenna – was captured on August 3, 2007. The Taipei 101 has also earned the moniker of world’s tallest green building, due to its recycled water system. Now if only the energy of that lightning strike could somehow be converted and used for the building’s power needs… (Simone Preuss)

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=67676.0

Photo: Alisdair Miller

Here, we have a different angle of the Burj Khalifa being struck by lightning. Sticking out above not only Dubai but all the other skyscrapers in the world, it's almost as if the building is deliberately offering itself up for 'electrocution' by as many of the sky’s lightning bolts as possible; giving itself up to the thunderstorm, so to speak. Come to think of it, given that Dubai is located in the Arabian Desert, this theory might not be so far off. After all, lightning can't be an everyday occurrence in a place with an annual rainfall of only 250 mm (9.84 in)...

As we have seen, lightning striking tall, iconic buildings is an impressive sight, and one that eyewitnesses will surely find hard to forget. Luckily for us, some of them were armed with cameras at the time, providing us with these electrifying images – and a wonderful opportunity to share the moment. (Simone Preuss)

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=67676.0