WATCH: Lightning Destroys Tree at Wisconsin High School
If you've ever doubted the power of Mother Nature, just check out the video of what lightning did to a tree over in Wisconsin.
I've never been one to challenge Mother Nature when it comes to thunderstorms. I'm fascinated by them, but the incredible power of lightning has always given me pause, and I'm more than happy to let other storm chasers head out in the name of science.
I'm certainly NOT going to be conducting any lightning experiments, like American patriot and inventor Ben Franklin did in the 1750's when he flew a kite with a metal key attached to its string right into a thunderstorm. Certainly, his experiments-- while incredibly dangerous-- helped shed a lot of light on the awesome power of lightning.
But in case you need a little convincing, check out this video from the National Weather Service office in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It shows what happened to a massive pine tree at Wautoma High School when it sustained a direct lightning strike.
Wautoma is a town about three hours east of Rochester in central Wisconsin and is about an hour south of my hometown of Wausau. The terrain in that section of Wisconsin is similar to our terrain here in southeast Minnesota. So while that video took place a good 180 miles away, something similar could certainly happen here too.
It's no wonder the NWS-Green Bay office posted a warning along with the video pointing out that we never really know WHEN lightning is going to strike, and that you'll want to head their catchy warning during the spring and summer severe storm season here in the Midwest: "When Thunder Roars Go Indoors."
Check out the video below, and be thankful that tree wasn't YOU or ME. Certainly there are other areas of the country where lightning strikes are even more prevalent than here in Wisconsin and Minnesota, which can make living there more dangerous than here. Keep scrolling to check out where we rank on this list of State Where People Live The Longest!
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