Lightning Strikes?

Question

Is it true that lightning never strikes the same spot twice?

Can Lightning strike in the same spot consecutively, like 4 or 5 times

Answer 1

First thing...Lightning does not "strike" it passes through. And it can go through the same thing multiple times. It usually wont do it twice one right after the other but given time the ions can gather to create a second burst.

The positive ions travel up through things like trees and buildings so they are closer tto the clouds which have the negative charge. This is why the trees and tall buildings get hit more often.

When they meet they charge the entire length of both and the lightning you see actually starts in the center where they met and travels both ways. So if you see a bolt comming down from the clouds that is only 1/2 of it and the other 1/2 is traveling upwards.

I was also told that because of this the tree is actually split before the "lightning" reaches it. The energy going up through it will split it when the 2 meet just before it lights up.

Answer 2

As the other people have said lightning can and often does strike the same spot - some prominent structures are struck many times in a year.

Lightning is a huge electrical discharge caused by electrical differences - the tops of thunderclouds are positively charged and the bottoms are negatively charged, the discharge helps to balance the two out. Because of this balancing out (neutralizing) there is less chance of a lightning strike being formed from the same mass of cloud until such time as a large electrical difference has built up again.

It's not uncommon for a particular structure to be struck several times in a single storm - especially if a large mass of charged cloud is passing overhead and continually discharging. The Empire State Building has been struck 15 times in 15 minutes during one particulalry active storm. I doubt that these would have been successive strikes as there would have been an incredible amount of lightning striking many of the tall structures on the New York skyline in a very short space of time.

Answer 3

It's a relatively modern myth that lightning never strikes the same spot twice -- it's also not true. Lightning can strike the same place again and again -- especially if that place features something like a high radio antenna perched on top of a mountain. In spite of time lapse video showing places like the Empire State building getting struck repeatedly, the myth still carries on!

Answer 4

Lightening does strike the same spot more than once when it is striking. And it also has a higher probability that it will strike the same place in a future storm if the structure was not destroyed in the first strikes.

We have the highest number of thunder and lightening storms of anywhere in the USA in central Florida. A band that runs from Tampa through Orlando (including Disneyworld) and up to Daytona Beach has the highest number of lightening storms and strikes of anywhere else in the USA.

When I was growing up in Orlando in the 1950s, when we only has AM radio, sometimes you couldn't hear the radio because of the large number of lightening strikes in a 100 mile radius. Lightening strikes generate radio waves in the AM band.

And a local joke, you are more likely to be struck by lightening than to win the Florida Lottery. Which is also true.

Answer 5

no. the empire state building is struck many times a year. it is actually more likely to strike in the same place as it is to strike in a totally new spot.

Answer 6

It can,it is just highly unlikely.Since a bolt of lightning is no thicker a human body,it's relative size,compared to the surface of the Earth is tiny...tom science

Answer 7

Lightning rod! Where's that freaking lightning rod?!

Answer 8

NO that theory has been ruled out
its not true

Answer 9

no that theory has been ruled out
its not true