How Do You Feel About Thunderstorms?

United States
September 3, 2009 3:35pm CST
We have been getting bad thunderstorms on and off all day. I don't like them during the day, but they really scare me at night. That might not make sense, but it is how I feel. It is probably due to the fact that when I was in elementary school, two girls from my school were killed by lightening. They were camping, and the storm hit during the night and struck their tent. The parents, who were in a different tent, couldn't do anything to help them. I know other people that just love thunderstorms. They like to sit outside and watch the lightening, especially during the night, because it lights up the entire sky. So, how do you feel about thunderstorms? Did something happen to make you feel the way you do about them or is that how you have always felt?
2 people like this
26 responses
4 Sep 09
I don't usually like rain but when it's in a thunderstorm I love to look out of my window at the lightning and listen out for the thunder. I have always liked Thunderstorms and I put up with the bad weather only for a thunderstorm.
• United States
20 Sep 09
I have to agree with metschica25 on the rain. I think that the sound of the rain falling is very peaceful, but I could definitely do without the thunder and lightening. I like hearing how everyone else thinks and feels about it, though. It is wonderful how different people can experience the exact same event in so many different ways.
@UK_Shree (3603)
3 Sep 09
I don't have any particularly strong feelings about thunderstorms. They are not very pleasant I suppose. But I do not mind them. They can be a little scary at night time especially if they are really loud. In some ways I like the dramatic effect that they create. And cuddling up to someone on a stormy night isn't so bad!
2 people like this
• United States
5 Sep 09
I especially don't like them when they wake me up in the middle of the night. It is rather disorienting to wake up from a sound sleep to a loud crashing noise and not realize at first what is happening. On the other hand, they do provide the perfect excuse to cuddle up next to that someone special, so I guess they are not all bad. ;-)
@metschica25 (5399)
• United States
4 Sep 09
Hello! There to me is nothing like a spring or summer thunderstorm . So very pretty to sit on your porch and watch it pour down rain , and watch the sky light up . I have never had a fear of them. Growing up my dad would make us go to the basement if the storm got real bad and he would get upset because I would just wanna chill on the porch . I am sure people who do fear them had something happened . Like a friend of mine she dont like them because lighting struck a tree and it fell thru her house and almost hurt her brother .
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Sep 09
I am like your dad and would rather go into the basement during thunderstorms. Sometimes we get tornadoes during thunderstorms, and that is one of the safest places to be. Just like your friend, our neighbor had a tree go right through their house, so that is another good reason for not liking storms. Lakerfanster, even though I do not like being in the middle of a thunderstorm, I have to agree that pictures of lightening, especially at night, are very beautiful.
4 Sep 09
I also like to take a few pictures and when the last big one we had here happened I posted a few pictures to my Facebook profile. I also like the summer ones at night as it's a nice warm humid night.
1 person likes this
• Indonesia
3 Sep 09
I think it's a warning from God. So did earthquake. Thunderstorm is like warning us about God's wrath, that He's angry to see our behaviour that sometimes we do without remember Him.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Sep 09
That's a different perspective on thunderstorms and earthquakes. Maybe we should take them as a warning and evaluate our behavior. Thanks for your response.
• Indonesia
6 Sep 09
It was like in Noah's time. Do you remember the ark and whose family was the only survivor? Noah's. And how about the earthquake? Is it just a nature calamity? It is not. It is the way God criticized, we can not hear because we are still have sin in our heart. If we are holy, we can see God (it's written in the Bible).
@maryihla (103)
• United States
3 Sep 09
We lived by a lake in northern Minnesota during the summers when I was growing up, and lightening over the lake was spectacular, but also terrifying. We had a very tall outside television antenna which was located just outside my bedroom window. One night during a fierce thunderstorm, it was hit by lightening. I could actually see a jagged blue-white line of electricity zap across my room to the door handle. Although my fear of thunderstorms and the lightening they produce has lessened over the years, I still cringe when I hear that first rumble in the distance. Now my concern is mainly for my computer equipment because several years ago I lost a laptop, a scanner, and a modem to a lightening strike.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Sep 09
Oh, that must have been a terrifying experience! I can understand why you would be afraid of thunderstorms. You were very lucky that you were not injured or your house didn't burn down after the lightening strike! I try to stay off the computer whenever there is a bad storm, but I do watch television. Both are magnets for lightening, though. It's good to hear that your fear of thunderstorms has lessened over the years. Perhaps mine will, too.
• India
4 Sep 09
See, I have wonderful experience in my life. Once in my college days I was almost knocked down by the lightening.It was in the rainy after noon I was just playing some musical instrument sitting on a cane chair inside my room.Outside,it was raining with occasional thundering.Suddenly I felt that there was a big explosion in my room and I just threw my self through the door. I saw sudden flashing surrounding me and electric wares were started burning with flare like any fireworks.All the electrical bulbs got exploded.Floor of the room was full of glass pieces.I had to change the repair the entire electrical connection.People came from electric supply and they said that I was very lucky. It was my rebirth.Next morning I discovered that there was a small hole in the plinth of my room. It was just through the wall with almost 1 cm diameter.Actually the charge came through that way since there was an old Fluorescent tube kept inclined to the wall.It worked as a good conductor.End of the week I saw the leaves of one of my coconut tree adjacent to my room was becoming yellowish.We understand that the major charge was attracted by that life saver tree. It was only a small particle the endangered my life.
• United States
24 Sep 09
Wow, that sounds like a very scary experience! You were extremely lucky to have survived that let alone made it out unharmed! It is a good thing that the tree took most of the lightening strike or things would have been a lot worse. Trees do attract lightening, which is why you are never supposed to stand under or near them during a thunderstorm. It is great that you were able to take something positive from that experience. You describe it as your "rebirth", so that is a good thing. I hope that you are still doing well.
@subha12 (18441)
• India
4 Sep 09
I feel scary. I do not like thunderstorms. I try to keep my ears closed with my hands.I can't withstand them from long.
1 person likes this
@mikeysmom (2088)
• United States
4 Sep 09
i don't particularly like thunderstorms but i am not afraid of them either. i think lightening is the real danger and not enough people take it seriously. you need to get indoors when it is lightening out. that is the bottom line. my son is very fearful of both the lightening and the sound of the thunder and he gets very agitated by it so we are working on that with him so he does not have to be afraid.
1 person likes this
@ladyhope (377)
• Canada
4 Sep 09
I love thunderstorms! When I was young, my siblings and I used to set up our chairs in the vestibule with the front door open, put on our raincoats and watch the lightening. I think lightening is gorgeous!
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Sep 09
That sounds like a fun way to spend a stormy day. Of course, I wouldn't have liked doing that, but I can see how a lot of kids would like it. Especially if it was something that the family could do together. I agree that even though lightening is scary and dangerous, it can also be beautiful.
• China
4 Sep 09
well. every time when the thunderstorm happens. i always do my fastest to turn off all the electric at the house and re open that when the thunderstorm stopped.that's really a commn thing here on the summer and i have to make sure all my electrities won't be broken by that.and personnally i do not fear about that.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Sep 09
Yes, it is important to turn off all the electrical appliances that you can during a thunderstorm. Not only do they attract lightening but also they can be ruined or start a fire if the lightening strikes near you. It is really good that you are in the habit of doing this. I try to do it as much as possible, too.
@jules67 (2788)
• Philippines
4 Sep 09
I am sorry about the two girls. In my younger years, I do remember that I used to be scared of thunderstorm. But I have gotten over it when I got older. Now, I do not feel scared at all but I am not even thrilled to it as well.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Sep 09
Yes, it was awful about the two girls. Our school had grief counselors in to talk to us about what happened. They said that it was just a "freak accident" or something like that, and then they proceeded to tell us steps that we could take to help make sure we were safe during storms. I think that they were trying to reassure us, but it just seemed to be sending a mixed message. I'm glad that you seem to be getting over your fear of thunderstorms. Maybe some day I will be able to as well.
• Australia
4 Sep 09
I think thunderstorms are beautiful and I have enjoyed them ever since I was a child. I stand at the window and watch the lighting. I like the way it lights up the sky and the way it looks. The thunder can be a bit frightening especially if it shakes the whole house when it is directly overhead but on the whole it just makes me appreciate nature and how it can effect everything we do.
• United States
19 Sep 09
I like how you said that thunderstorms make you appreciate nature and how it can affect everything we do. I agree with that and think it's a very important thing to remember, because nature is extremely powerful. I also agree thunder is frightening, especially when it shakes the whole house, but the lightening can be beautiful. I am still scared of the storms at night, though.
• United States
4 Sep 09
I like thunderstorms. The lightning is so good for the crops and the flowers. The wind cools everything off. I love to watch the trees as they bend almost touching the ground but, not quite making it. Afterwards, there is that refreshing smell. I love to watch the rain line too. When I was little, a tornado went thru the back yard. It blew out the windows,and tore the door off of its hinges. A tree totally destroyed our garage. After living thru that, you come to understand that certain circumstances in life no one has control over, and you learn to accept it for what it is. When you can do that, thunderstorms just aren't scary anymore.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Sep 09
I really love your descriptions of thunderstorms! Seeing them through your eyes, they are beautiful. It would make me want to have another one, if I wasn't so afraid of them. It is great that you can take such a scary experience and find the positive aspect of it! I would love to be able to do that. Maybe if I keep trying, then some day I will get there.
@dolmitta (221)
• India
4 Sep 09
I live in India and its always hot here. But now it is rainy season and its awesome. I'm fine with mild lightning and thunder. Last year November whole of south India was flooded. One night the lightning and thunder was terrible. The noise of thunder was really scary and really load. Whole of my family woke up and we were freaked out because of the thunder. I sounded like some heavy meteor shower or some bomb blast. I will never forget that.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Sep 09
Yes, I know exactly how you felt. We get really bad thunderstorms here, and the whole house shakes with the sound of the thunder. It is almost like an earthquake. I think that is one of the reasons that I find them scarier at night, because I get woken up to the loud crash and the house shaking. It really isn't a pleasant way to awaken. Floods are scary, too, but we don't get many of them. I'm glad that you survived the whole thing unharmed.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
3 Sep 09
This is funny because we are in the middle of a thunderstorm right now and I'm loving it. Its mainly because we don't get alot of rain here in the desert. To me they are exciting though and I just welcome them.
• United States
6 Sep 09
That is funny that we were having thunderstorms at the same time. I can understand that you welcome them, since you do not get them very often. For you, they are different and exciting, especially since they bring much needed rain. I love the rain. I really like it when it's a warm day and we get a rainstorm, because I like going out and playing in the rain. I just don't like the thunder and lightening that we get with a lot of our storms.
• Canada
4 Sep 09
I don't like them either, they really scare me at night. I think it's because we used to live in this really old farmhouse when I was a kid. I found that house sooo frightening at night and I wasn't the only one. My grandfather was scared in the house too.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Sep 09
I can understand being scared of living in an old farmhouse at night. They can be pretty creepy, and the noises the houses make just add to the creepiness. Then, when you add to that a thunderstorm, you have the perfect setting for a horror film. Have you ever noticed how many scary movies include an old farmhouse (or something similar) and a thunderstorm?
• Malaysia
4 Sep 09
i think the lightning is just beautiful, nothing bad happen to me and people around me before, but i do scared of thunderstorm. I like to watch the lightning from somewhere that i feel safe :)
1 person likes this
• United States
6 Sep 09
Yes, I can understand how you feel. Lightening is scary and dangerous, but it is also beautiful at a distance. I have seem some absolutely gorgeous captures of lightening in pictures, but I wouldn't want to be the one out there trying to get those pictures. I don't think you have to have anything bad happen to you to be afraid of thunderstorms, because they are definitely dangerous. I think that it just makes people more afraid when bad things happen during thunderstorms, because it just validates their fears.
@Xzcess (174)
• India
3 Sep 09
Considering that thing about the girls, I am not surprised that you do not like thunderstorms. It would have been a bad experience getting told something like that, so your dislike for storms at night is probably justified. As far as i am concerned, I have loved storms since i was a kid. They are fascinating, the lightning, the violent winds and the cold rain. I really enjoy being outside when it is storming. Fortunately, some of my friends feel the same way and whenever we get a good storm we go outside for a walk. OF course we catch a cold afterwards, but it is good fun.
1 person likes this
• United States
6 Sep 09
I think they are scary enough inside, but it is even worse being outside in one. I'm glad that you have friends that share your love of them, though. The fact that you can go outside together and enjoy them is wonderful. Catching a cold afterwards is not so good, but I guess it is worth it in comparison to the fun you have during the storm. Stay safe while you are outside walking in bad storms!
@KMPierce (165)
• United States
4 Sep 09
I happen to be a person that loves thunderstorms if I'm indoors. I am afraid of them if I'm outside- even in my car. Something about just listening to the thunder and rain is somewhat peaceful for me. I have friends that are scared of them as well & get that- they can be scary.
• United States
6 Sep 09
I can understand being afraid of them if you are outside, even in your car. They are loud, powerful, and intimidating. Inside, though, you feel safer, so you can enjoy the power and beauty, even though they can also be dangerous. That makes sense.
3 Sep 09
I've always loved thunderstorms, even when i was a little girl. I used to get really excited and open the back door and just sit their watching the lightning and listening to the thunder and the rain. Nowadays i just love to lay in bed and listen to the rain against my window and the thunder and watch the lightning light up my room, or go walking without an umbrella in pouring rain.
1 person likes this
• United States
6 Sep 09
I wish that I could be like you and enjoy thunderstorms. It would make things a lot easier and more fun. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening any time in the near future. However, I do love walking without an umbrella in the pouring rain, as long as there is no thunder or lightening. ;-)