Pictures of lightning in Western & Central Pennsylvania the week of 8-7-2016. Part 1.

 A long time ago when I lived in Washington, DC. a friend and I were walking home from school in the late afternoon. The skies were threatening and it began to rain. Then it thundered and lightning was coming down everywhere. We hurried our pace to get out of it and into shelter anywhere when suddenly a huge lightning bolt came down and hit my friend in the stomach and melted his belt buckle & left a huge smoking hole. He died instantly.
I was around 10 at the time and ever since then I like looking at lightning but I don't do outside during storms if I can avoid it. They scare the hell out of me.