Just a few happy snaps from the storm that swept over the Sunshine Coast last night.
This storm got more than a little friendly to be wangling around for perfectly framed happy snaps - as it was, I experienced one air burst thunder (VERY close by - ear still ringing now. This occurs when the sonic front becomes spherical, rather than the usual cylindrical expansion,and literally "burst" like a bubble), one blinding flash on a dead tree about 500m away - photo 1 below - (that I use to align my finder scopes occasionally), and one I didn't see because (thankfully I think) I was looking down and only saw red through my closed eyelids. I felt the heat though! A grass fire is still smouldering over in the farm land past the dead tree I mentioned.
Not much rain, not much wind, just a LOT of lightning and ominous clouds.
Here is photo 1 enhanced to show the extent of the strike. Brightest and largest I have EVER seen, and I have seen a LOT. I cannot edit it further to just show the "bolt" itself.
Must go digging - might find a Martian vehicle at the bottom (shades of War of the Worlds )
)
Wise hail protection also : ) 
