What begins as a fairly boring video of a rainbow gets exciting in the blink of an eye when a lightning bolt strikes without warning. While we’ve posted about epic lightning storms before, it’s rare to see the point of impact so clearly. This video provides a fascinating look at both how lightning forms, as well as the incredible damage it can do when it hits land (watch for the vaporized tree in this repeating GIF).
Most buildings are equipped with lightning rods to safely absorb potentially deadly bolts like this, but when you’re camping, make sure to stay away from high ground and remove all metal objects from your person.
Because of its rubber tires, a car is also a good place to hide out during a lightning storm. And if you’re tempted to take shelter from the rain under a tree, make sure it’s the shortest one you can find.
