Mother Nature just handed us a wallop at the campground in Ashland NH. Around 5pm I started hearing thunder waaaayyyyyyy off in the distance. The clouds were getting thicker and darker also. By 5:30 we knew the storm wasn’t too far away and picked up all our outside things (folding chairs, bbq grill, decorations). A camping neighbor mentioned that a weather alert had been issued and we were due for a storm within the half hour.
Around 6pm the rains started and came down fast and furious. There was a lot of thunder and lightening in this storm and we were doing our best to keep the dogs calm. As the temperature dropped from the high 70’s into the 60’s, we opened a few windows to allow the breeze to blow thru and cool us. As Chuck was opening one window, a major crack of thunder and flash of lightening struck, shaking the entire RV and scaring humans and dogs.
A moment later I thought I heard a tree branch crack and fall - the tree branch didn’t sound too close, but our trailer is close to the woods, so I figured I’d search the woods later to find the branch.
By 6:15 the storm was almost over; the temperature had dropped 15 degrees in 15 minutes. The roads in front and behind our RV were rivers - meeting up at their merge just below our campsite. I grabbed my camera to take photos of the water on the roadway and noticed the tree branch behind the RV in a driveway down towards some tent sites, only 60 to 70 feet from our trailer. Took a quick photo of it through the camper window before heading outside.
The lightening we experienced had traveled up a large pine tree and the top half of it splintered and fell over, taking a few smaller branches of other trees with it. Looking down the roadway it was amazing to see that the tree top and branches had fallen clear of the 2 camper units and their vehicles. The folks in the 2 campsites were fine and their pets were unharmed also.
The lightening split the trunk of the tree from the roots up to where the break occurred. On closer inspection we could even find the hole where the lightening started up the tree
This storm has got me thinking about how we need to have an emergency plan laid out should we experience a more serious situation in the future.
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