Insane lightning strike (NSFW language)
Channel: Mike Akers
Date: 2011-08-01

Was shooting video of a severe thunderstorm. Lightning struck the tree in front of my parents house. My hair was literally blown back by the shockwave from the strike's sonic boom.


Intense.

Update!

Looks like this is making the rounds in the media...

My meteorologist friend Mike Leona wrote an article containing some pics of hailstones I took and a quote here:

http://www.examiner.com/weather-in-long-island/parts-of-nassau-county-rattled-by-violent-storms

WCBS news in NYC came out and interviewed me, you can see the segment here:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/08/02/hail-storm-shatters-windows-and-rattles-nerves-in-queens-neighborhoods/

Gothamist picked up the story and you can see it here:

http://gothamist.com/2011/08/01/video_queens_lighting_strike_scares.php

Finally, for the redditors out there, take a look at this post and throw me an up vote!

http://www.reddit.com/r/nyc/comments/j61nn/so_i_just_almost_got_struck_by_lightning_that_was/

Update 2:

Gizmodo!

http://gizmodo.com/5826947/lightning-nails-tree-and-nearly-takes-dude-filming-with-it

Today Show/MSNBC!!! (We're going national people!)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43988189#43988189