… next minute. Closest lightning I’ve experienced for a while. Su Leslie 2018
From the west-facing window in my office I can see the Waitakere Ranges on a clear day (on most days actually).
I can also see the rain coming.
Sometimes the light just before a storm is so clear it makes the view almost a parody of leafy suburbia.
Today was such a day.
About two minutes after I took this, the house shook in the most amazing lightning strike. Judging from the intensity of the flash and my neighbours’ reactions too — I think we must have pretty much been Ground Zero.
Zimmerbitch 
Wow! That must have been the mother of all thunder claps, must have given you and your neighbours quite a scare.
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It did. Quite a few people took to the community FaceBook page to talk about it and compare notes. Apparently it destroyed a fence in the next street.
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Wow, that sky.
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🙂
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Such a striking contrast between the beautiful green shades and the dark inky skies!
Fantastic photography,nasty experience,dear Su.It sounds as if the hypocentre of an earthquake were under your feet.Have a nice,rainless day,my friend 🙂 xxx
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Thank you Doda. A rain-less day would be lovely, but we might have to wait a little longer. Sending my very best wishes to you xxxxx 🙂
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Wow! That does look quite ominous! Glad no damage was done.
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Someone in the next street over had damage to their phone lines and electrical services, and to their fence. I just found that out and realise now how close it actually was.
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Scary….
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Looks like a scary storm – glad to hear all is OK!
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It was a bit scary — thankfully very short-lived.
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The grass is still very green, Su.
Leslie
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Auckland winters are very mild and wet; grass seems to love that.
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Yes it does…
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Oh, how I love moody skies! What a great capture!
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Thanks Deb. It was a stroke of luck I looked out the window at the right time.
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It doesn’t look quite real somehow – the sky is such a threatening colour and everything else is so bright. Is there a hint of a rainbow arcing up from the white roof or am I imagining it?
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That’s what caught my eye — the complete contrast between looming storm clouds and the intensity of the light where I was. I didn’t see the rainbow in “real life”, but it certainly looks like one in the photo. 😀
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I can see it too!
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I’m not imagining it then!
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Well if you are then I am too!
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The camera lens picked up what I didn’t see.
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I often find that, especially using the macro lens.
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I love that light! I can see the rainbow too! I remember taking an interesting photo in Ludlow in the middle of a storm – like yours, overhead – when the light was truly amazing and a big double rainbow appeared. Your leafy suburb actually looks very nice.
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Thanks Jude. Greenhithe is a very nice suburb. I moved here reluctantly (it’s on the edge of the city and I thought of myself as a town girl back in 2000 when we came back from England). But it turned out to be a brilliant place to raise the boy-child. There is a real sense of community which made it a very safe environment for an adventurous boy to test his wings without greying his mother’s hair (too much). 🙂
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A nice compromise – and I actually thought Auckland was quite nice too. A rather small version of Sydney.
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Yes; very similar. 🙂
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What an amazing cloud!
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🙂
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Beautiful sky! … and terrifying at the same time. I haven’t experienced a really good thunderstorm with lightning in a very long time! I would have squealed … and then laughed hysterically 🙂
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I confess to allowing a mild expletive to escape my lips 🙂
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Yup – sounds justified!
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Stunning and yet quite scary picture, Su. We had a couple of storms too lately and the bolts were frighteningly near. Glad no one was hurt!
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🙂 it’s a reminder of just how powerful nature is.
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