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Mad Poster
#26 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 12:52 AM
About power surges and lightning strikes-I have to be boring and say this:

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that will stop a bolt of lightning (about 45,000 volts average) from blowing through your electrical systems and blowing out the walls, taking every thing with it.

A power surge protector is useless in such a situation. Minor surges are one thing-major lightning strikes are a whole nother problem, and one that you don't ignore.

Receptacle Refugee & Resident Polar Bear
"Get out of my way, young'un, I'm a ninja!"
Grave Matters: The funeral podium is available here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/e6tj...albits.zip/file
My other downloads are here: https://app.mediafire.com/myfiles
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Inventor
#27 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 3:26 AM
Personally, I'd say top priority is to make sure your phone is fully charged in case you need to call, and it's definitely a good idea to keep an eye on the weather and watch for any changes. Beyond that though, if you're stuck and not in danger of loosing power anytime soon, and you don't have to ration electricty or worry about lightning surges, meh, go for it. Might as well enjoy the sweet, sweet electrical power while you have it.

I have an aunt and uncle stuck down in Flo. now. Their place is right on the beach, but they went further inland and bunkered down in a hotel with a storm shelter/emergency area (Was too many people on the roads to get out of state. If they'd waited any longer to stop they wouldn't have been able to get a place and risk being stuck on the roads when it hit).
Thankfully (I guess?) Irma's been "downgraded" to "only" a Cat. 2 storm from the Cat. 4 it was when it hit the Carribean. Still dangerous as hell though. Just saw a few pics from Miami. Place looks like the tidal wave scene from "The Day After Tomorrow," but with muddier and sandier water.
Mad Poster
#28 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 4:12 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Rosebine
That'd be me. Minus the tornado sirens, heavy temperature, floods, earthquakes.. etc. I live in a quite boring(?) place.
Ditto!

My answer to the question is probably "no". During a thunderstorm I usually don't use the computer. If I'm thinking sensibly, I'll probably disconnect its power, monitor, network, and USB cables. My computer is a cheap netbook used as a desktop replacement, so it does have a battery which will keep going for a short time without mains power, but the battery is growing old, and its icon says I should consider replacing it. When plugged into the mains, it is connected through a 4-way power connector that includes surge protection, but this cost a lot less than $50.

But, where I live in Scotland, we get very few thunderstorms -- maybe one or two a year. And then often just a few flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder. It's about as exciting as our weather gets, so I'll often just watch the free firework display. But, when I see what's going in in Florida and the Caribbean, I'm glad our Scottish weather is so boring. (We don't even get much snow now.) I hadn't realised till I read this thread, just how many people I know (through MTS) who are in danger from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, José, Katya et al, Catherine TCJD is another one in Florida. May God protect you all and keep you safe!

All Sims are beautiful -- even the ugly ones.
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Sims' lives matter!
The Veronaville kids are alright.
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#29 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 7:13 AM
I think the UK is probably one of the safest places in the world to live (from natural disasters); once it rained rather a lot, and I remember a magnitude 2 earthquake, but that's about as bad as it gets.
Former Hamster
retired moderator
#30 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 7:52 AM
@simsample
"Once it rained rather a lot." Once? Thinking about it, I guess I can say that about where I live too.. but "once" would be more like "once a week", lol.
Mad Poster
#31 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 9:13 AM
Doesn't usually get that bad down here either, which is a relief. My mouth was open wide reading about lightning that could blast through walls.

Hope everyone who is in an affected area gets through it okay.
Mad Poster
#32 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 12:45 PM
What I stated is the literal truth about lightning-and this article explains how & why it happens:
What happens when lightning strikes a house?

Receptacle Refugee & Resident Polar Bear
"Get out of my way, young'un, I'm a ninja!"
Grave Matters: The funeral podium is available here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/e6tj...albits.zip/file
My other downloads are here: https://app.mediafire.com/myfiles
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#33 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 7:00 PM
Quote: Originally posted by mustluvcatz
@simsample
"Once it rained rather a lot." Once? Thinking about it, I guess I can say that about where I live too.. but "once" would be more like "once a week", lol.

Yeah, just the one day I remember, 'Wet Friday' we called it. Town got a tad too damp. The rest of the time, it just rains a normal amount each day. But nothing like in Florida at the moment.
Mad Poster
#34 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 7:05 PM
I live in Atlantic Canada and we often get hit with whatever remnants of a tropical storm are leftover (except for once, which probably reveals more about my location than I should be comfortable with). In one of the old apartments, the neighbours across the street would always put their laundry out during the tropical storms and have it blown away. They never learned.

In the winter we get lots of snowstorms (or even worse, it hovers just around freezing, leaving a horrible mess of slush and ice).

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Top Secret Researcher
#35 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 7:31 PM
It's a storm rn and I'm simming
Alchemist
#36 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 9:35 PM
as far as I recall during thunder storms, I usually quit any computer games/programs that are running (after saving). afterward would shut down computer; after removing any CDs/DVDs from the drives. then would do non-computer stuff.
would also do that stuff if there is a potential power outage in my area.
Top Secret Researcher
#37 Old 11th Sep 2017 at 11:17 PM
I love thunderstorms since they're such a rare event where I am. Instead of being on the computer I'd be looking out the window grinning.
As for normal storms, although I have a surge protector (which I bought for random outages through the power company not storms) I'd get off the computer at the first sign of lights flickering. Where I live now even those storms seem rare. I don't have a laptop but when I did they never lasted long on battery.
Field Researcher
#38 Old 12th Sep 2017 at 3:33 PM
Quote: Originally posted by FranH
About power surges and lightning strikes-I have to be boring and say this:

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that will stop a bolt of lightning (about 45,000 volts average) from blowing through your electrical systems and blowing out the walls, taking every thing with it.

A power surge protector is useless in such a situation. Minor surges are one thing-major lightning strikes are a whole nother problem, and one that you don't ignore.
I sure do! I unplug, and run on the battery.
After a particularly bad storm not too long ago, I looked outside and was inspired to rename all the addresses on one of the roads in my "Smorgia" hood, to "Swampy Sims Road".
Née whiterider
retired moderator
#39 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 12:07 PM
This is an interesting one, actually - the UK doesn't get hurricanes but we do get plenty of thunderstorms, and I think the last time I had a power cut because of a storm was about 1999 (and power surges because of storms are completely apocryphal now, my Mum remembers some from decades ago but I've never heard of one in my lifetime). I wonder if UK power companies do something differently that reduces the impact of lightning on the infrastructure?

What I lack in decorum, I make up for with an absence of tact.
Mad Poster
#40 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 12:34 PM
I've never experienced any kind of extreme weather other than the time my university town got flooded during Christmas break and some people lost power. We got an extra week off so exams got pushed back, so I used that time to study instead of simming. I really shouldn't play Sims during thunderstorms though, because if the power goes out my simming laptop will die. The battery life is barely long enough to turn it on and quickly plug the charger in, let alone quickly save my game.

~Your friendly neighborhood ginge
Forum Resident
#41 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 6:15 PM
Quote: Originally posted by FranH
What I stated is the literal truth about lightning-and this article explains how & why it happens:
What happens when lightning strikes a house?

Yep. It's true!
I read an article not long ago about a man who was struck by lightning while flipping a light switch. Here, I found a news broadcast: http://www.whec.com/news/man-struck...office/4506092/
Thankfully, it's a rare occurrence. I think we have to be more concerned about cutting our fingers in the kitchen or slipping in the bathroom.

Speaking of storms . . .
Smorbie1 lives in an area that was hit pretty bad by Irma. She's not been online since Sunday. From what I've read, most of that area is without power. Worse, it's hot and humid. Please send her good thoughts and, if you're a praying person, keep her in your prayers.

So many things to learn; so few brain cells to process the info needed to learn things!
Shipwreck Island
Top Secret Researcher
#42 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 6:52 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Nysha
This is an interesting one, actually - the UK doesn't get hurricanes but we do get plenty of thunderstorms, and I think the last time I had a power cut because of a storm was about 1999 (and power surges because of storms are completely apocryphal now, my Mum remembers some from decades ago but I've never heard of one in my lifetime). I wonder if UK power companies do something differently that reduces the impact of lightning on the infrastructure?


The UK may just not get as much lightning as some places in the US - Florida is particularly bad, I believe.
Mad Poster
#43 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 7:57 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Nysha
This is an interesting one, actually - the UK doesn't get hurricanes but we do get plenty of thunderstorms, and I think the last time I had a power cut because of a storm was about 1999 (and power surges because of storms are completely apocryphal now, my Mum remembers some from decades ago but I've never heard of one in my lifetime). I wonder if UK power companies do something differently that reduces the impact of lightning on the infrastructure?


The term "hurricane" specifically refers to tropical cyclones. The UK has been hit by cyclones outside of the tropics. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Storm_of_1987

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Storm_of_1703

https://www.livescience.com/16016-h...ts-britain.html (This is from 2011 and does not refer to the "Katia" that recently hit Mexico.)
Mad Poster
#44 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 8:09 PM
The important point there is that the UK obviously is doing a better job with its electrical infrastructure than the US. Power outages are common during storms all across the US.

Buildings in Florida are more likely to get struck by lightning than elsewhere because they get more storms (whether it's coming up the Gulf, the Atlantic, or the Caribbean, Florida's likely to be hit) and because the ground is so flat in so much of the state. Pretty much anything that rises above sea level is a good target.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
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Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#45 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 10:54 PM
Here I am more worried about the wild life then storms. Fire is also more likely than rain.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Forum Resident
#46 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 11:04 PM
FYI ... I got a message from Smorbie1 today! She was without power for several days but she is A-OK. :-)

Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
Here I am more worried about the wild life then storms. Fire is also more likely than rain.

Same here. What we really worry about is a storm AFTER a fire. There are several mountain ranges in my area. A few years ago, many people (all members of one extended family) were killed in a mudslide while they were staying in a mountain cabin over the Christmas holidays. It was tragic! It happened because there was a fire that destroyed the plants holding the soil. Then there was a lot of rain that loosened the soil.

SoCal has hard, granite-like dirt that does not allow for seepage. And, because we don't get a lot of rain, many cities are not equipped with adequate drainage to deal with the excess run-off that comes in a big downpour. So, flash floods are a concern in some areas of my county as well.

So many things to learn; so few brain cells to process the info needed to learn things!
Shipwreck Island
Alchemist
#47 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 11:32 PM
"wild life then storms"; did you mean "than" instead of "then"?

my area has had both wildlife and storms. and various fires have occurred in the State I live.
have not checked the frequency of those.
Instructor
#48 Old 13th Sep 2017 at 11:50 PM
Simming while it rains is one of the most relaxing things ever, but once I hear thunder, I turn everything off. It's not worth the risk of my computer getting toasted or me getting electrocuted.



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Mad Poster
#49 Old 14th Sep 2017 at 12:10 AM
Right now, in Maine, we're watching Hurricane Jose with a very careful eye, because it has the potential to turn into the mainland of the mid-Atlantic and cause some damage.

As for Maine, we've gotten huge thunderstorms, floods, and our famous blizzards. Because most of the state is above sea level at least by 20 feet (or more...) we're a bit better prepared for hurricanes, but they can still do some very ferocious damage.

But as for the worst storm we ever had? I'd call the Ice Storm of 1998 the worst I've ever personally experienced. It wreaked tremendous damage all over Maine and Atlantic Canada. These pictures show the extent of it:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...8&fr=ymyy-t-999

It took place in January and many people were without power for weeks. It was a miserable experience and nobody I know will ever forget it.

Because we were living relatively close to the major power grid connected to the local hospital, our power was restored within 3 days. Others were not so lucky.

I only played the game when the power came back on permanently. (and I never do play during thunderstorms...as you can tell..)

Receptacle Refugee & Resident Polar Bear
"Get out of my way, young'un, I'm a ninja!"
Grave Matters: The funeral podium is available here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/e6tj...albits.zip/file
My other downloads are here: https://app.mediafire.com/myfiles
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#50 Old 14th Sep 2017 at 12:11 AM
Quote: Originally posted by mdsb759
"wild life then storms"; did you mean "than" instead of "then"?

my area has had both wildlife and storms. and various fires have occurred in the State I live.
have not checked the frequency of those.


Yes. I am not a morning person nor do I check for grammar when posting.

@SIMelissa Thanks for letting us know!

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
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