This is why you need to go inside a sturdy building when lightning is within 10 miles of you.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. I had lightning strike the tree outside the house about 30'

It gave a warning in the sense that a visible sparkling aura surrounded the indoor light about 4-5 seconds before the hit. I felt the energy shock for hours. Only damage was to the trees, scarred down one side. The lightning headed straight for some iron at the base of the tree.

Another time I only got the aura around a basement light. I figure this is a grounding of energy coming down the lightning rod/antenna into the ground rod which is also the ground for the house wiring. So it comes into the house too. Not sure if this is a kosker setup, but that's the way electricians did it.

Once I was in the hospital and preparing to head for my car. There was light rain, light distant thunder. I could see my car maybe 400 feet away. I thought I'd better wait indoors. Sure enough. I and the lightning would have rendezvoused so closely.