Highfields storm chaser Thomas Hinterdorfer’s house hit with lightning
In a twist of irony, a lightning bolt has struck at the most (un)likely target – a storm chaser’s own house.
Toowoomba
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In what seems like a joke from the weather gods, a professional storm chaser’s house has been hit in a direct lightning strike days out from the new year.
As Monday’s severe storms lashed the Darling Downs, Toowoomba local and extreme weather chaser Thomas Hinterdorfer found himself victim to the wrath of the lightning gods after his Highfield’s house was directly hit by an electric bolt from the skies.
The “immediate blinding light” left all the electrics in the house “fried” and the house without power for a number of hours, he said.
“Even with power coming back on late last night, there are still signs of the aftermath,” he said.
The storm chaser, who is also a chief forecaster at Higgins Storm Chasing, spent two months in the United States last year and was only 15 seconds from death while he was chasing a powerful twister in Greenfield, a town in the midwestern state of Iowa.
While he’s been close to lightning several times, this one was much closer to home.
The biggest impact the strike had was on his dogs.
“Everyone is OK, the pups might be a little bit traumatised from the ear piercing, gunshot sound of the strike hitting the roof,” he said.
Thankfully, apart from electrical damage, there had been little physical damage to the house, but he said he was yet to check the roof.
“The sound, immediate light of the strike and the reaction within the house all confirmed it was lightning,” Mr Hinterdorfer said.
“On top of that, we were the only house to lose power in the street.”
He said it was a timely reminder of how dangerous lightning is and encouraged everyone to take heed of lightning warnings.
As storms can be incredibly distressing for pets, and RSPCA recommends keeping them in a safe and calm place indoors, with you or on a tether, in a laundry, or a suitable crate.
The animal welfare charity also suggests getting a thundershirt for dogs and cats to keep them calm and of course, to ensure there is plenty of food or water on hand.
Safety advice during a storm or a flood from the Qld Government recommends:
Listen to your local radio station for weather updates.
Turn off your power points and unplug electrical equipment if you’ve lost power.
Don’t use a fixed telephone during a thunderstorm – you can get an electric shock.
Move electrical equipment to higher locations if flood waters are expected.
Stay away from powerlines, trees and watercourses.
For more information over storm and weather preparedness check getready.qld.gov.au
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Originally published as Highfields storm chaser Thomas Hinterdorfer’s house hit with lightning
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