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I am not only interested in weather itself, but I'm also interested in people's reaction to the weather. What is totally normal and every day in location makes headline news and the talk of the town and subject endless facebook postings and tweets in another location.
Having grown up in thunderless California, I FINALLY experienced my first intense, close-up thunderstorm at a waterpark at Disney World when on vacation in Florida. By far the loudest thunder I ever heard in my life and absolutely brilliant streaks of lightning. The WDW caste members (what they call the Disney World staff) evacuated the pools and slides and told everyone to take cover or leave the park. About 40 minutes after this order, the thunderstorm hit fairly close to us (I counted less than 2 seconds between the lightning and the thunder). T-storm itself lasted about half an hour. After the T-storm passed, we were allowed to go back to the slides (even though it was still raining fairly hard) and there was very little wait time in the lines for the remaining hour and a half it was open. Here are the the different reactions I observed among the guests:
A) Annoyed- about having to get out of the water and having their theme park time cut short- people debating whether to leave the park or stay hoping the park would re-open after the storm (water was evacuated at about 2:30 and the waterpark closed at 5). Some left complaining, some grudgingly took cover hoping that the storm would pass quickly so they could get back to the waterslides. They were like, "Come on, I wanna get back in the water".
b) Neutral- like whatever, no reaction- just got under cover and talked continued their regular conversations about family, other plans, and stuff, virtually ignoring the storm.
c) Panic- Several children were screaming and crying when the thunder got loud at and lightning got flashy. I also saw two adults that were visibly shaken. In one family with British accents, the wife was freaking out with panic in her voice, the two children (boy- about 5-6 and girl about 8-9) were crying hysterically and the hubby was trying to calm all three of them down. Do they not have thunderstorms in England? I thought the U.K. got at least some thunderstorm activity, not as much as Florida, but definitely more than what coastal California does?
d) Excitement- Not upset at all about the slides being closed but in total awe of the power of the thunderstorm. Getting giddy as the thunder grew louder and closer, and huge grin on the face when the thunder and lightning were less than 2 seconds apart. Thinking and saying how cool and awesome it was. Considered the thunderstorm to be part of the entertainment package, perhaps even better than the waterslides themselves (which were pretty cool).
I was with a friend who had spent a good part of her childhood in Texas when we both experienced this thunderstorm. She had experienced far longer and more intense storms in Texas (including close calls with a tornado). She and I had completely different reactions to the t-storm and she got annoyed with my reaction.
Guess what her reaction was and guess what my reaction was!
How would YOU react to a thunderstorm at a waterpark? Annoyed, Neutral, Afraid, or Amazed? Any combinations of those two?
I realize that this thunderstorm was normal for Floridians but if it happened in my hometown, it would be major headline news and the talk of the town for WEEKS afterwards.
Last edited by AdriannaSmiling; 09-18-2013 at 09:28 PM..
First question: her reaction was probably like mine when I was in a thunderstorm at Disney World before waiting to get on Splash Mountain, "hey storm, get it over with already!". Your reaction, I strongly suspect, was more like my Brit fiancee's, in awe and amazement and wanting to film the whole storm.
Second question, like I said before, I'd be annoyed. Thunderstorms are as common as wind breezes back home in Puerto Rico, and severe storms are common in PA. But, east coast storms don't compare what you can get in the Midwest, something I haven't experienced yet
How would YOU react to a thunderstorm at a waterpark? Annoyed, Neutral, Afraid, or Amazed? Any combinations of those two?
I understand you aren't used to thunderstoms, yet I find your excitement for such a common weather occurrence way over the top (sorry for my bluntness).
I mean, it's just some rain, thunders and lightning, so what? Does it deserve news headlines?
Having said that, and ignoring the unlikeliness of my being in a waterpark, my reaction would be a combination of annoyance (70%) and amusement/awe (30%).
Having said that, and ignoring the unlikeliness of my being in a waterpark, my reaction would be a combination of annoyance (70%) and amusement/awe (30%).
This. No thunderstorm, but as a snow loving kid, I was annoyed by the closing of some rides at Disneyland Paris because of snow back in the 90s. I guess the same applies to tstorms.
It's been a long time since I haven't been to an amusement park, but I don't like the near 100% probability of having a tstorm sometime in the afternoon when I hike in the mountains in summer. It gets a tad annoying and, in the worst cases, dangerous, when you are far from a decent shelter.
That being said, since we can't control weather, once the thing has arrived, I'd just stay there and enjoy the show.
In one family with British accents, the wife was freaking out with panic in her voice, the two children (boy- about 5-6 and girl about 8-9) were crying hysterically and the hubby was trying to calm all three of them down. Do they not have thunderstorms in England? I thought the U.K. got at least some thunderstorm activity, not as much as Florida, but definitely more than what coastal California does?.
Yes we do. I've been in numerous storms in the UK with directly overhead thunder+lightning happening at the same time (only once this year though, not a good year) so it isn't that uncommon.
It sounds as if those children probably had a fear of thunder/lightning, common in young children anywhere. The story reminds me of when I started getting into weather as a kid, I was hanging around outside during an approaching thunderstorm with my camera, taking photos. My little sister came outside with me (she was about 9, two years younger than me, I was about 11-12). There was a very close lightning strike with an immediate thunderclap and (which I found funny) she went screaming into the house hysterial and hid somewhere, it took her time to calm down as well LOL.
Yes we do. I've been in numerous storms in the UK with directly overhead thunder+lightning happening at the same time (only once this year though, not a good year) so it isn't that uncommon.
It sounds as if those children probably had a fear of thunder/lightning, common in young children anywhere. The story reminds me of when I started getting into weather as a kid, I was hanging around outside during an approaching thunderstorm with my camera, taking photos. My little sister came outside with me (she was about 9, two years younger than me, I was about 11-12). There was a very close lightning strike with an immediate thunderclap and (which I found funny) she went screaming into the house hysterial and hid somewhere, it took her time to calm down as well LOL.
Exactly. They were probably kids that were afraid of lightning. My grandmother grew up in a climate with plenty of tstorms, and yet everytime she would pull out her rosary beads and holy water and sit there in fear with every window and door closed. I just didn't get it as a kid.
I agree with MeteoMan, those people appear to have a fear of thunder and lightning. Take a look at some severe UK storm videos and I can guarantee you nobody will be crying or screaming.
I agree with MeteoMan, those people appear to have a fear of thunder and lightning. Take a look at some severe UK storm videos and I can guarantee you nobody will be crying or screaming.
Didn't a huge lightning bolt years ago hit a cathedral in England? I think it was Yorkminster or something like that.
I understand you aren't used to thunderstoms, yet I find your excitement for such a common weather occurrence way over the top (sorry for my bluntness).
I mean, it's just some rain, thunders and lightning, so what? Does it deserve news headlines?
Having said that, and ignoring the unlikeliness of my being in a waterpark, my reaction would be a combination of annoyance (70%) and amusement/awe (30%).
Well, she IS a weather geek. We find stuff like this more interesting than 99% of the general public would, to be fair
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