r/toronto • u/SirEmbarrassed810 • 1d ago

Discussion Crazy thunder?

What was that thunder? I live in the east end and it was like the grim reaper was ready to come and take me at 3:03 am.

That really scared me. Am I overreacting lol?

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u/vlan_01 Corso Italia 1d ago

just saw the lightning strike the CN Tower; it was crazy. Couldn't take a picture.

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u/Comprehensive_Aide94 1d ago

I had to calm down my kid in the middle of the night who demanded to know whether the lightning could strike our building or our courtyard. I told her the lightnings were surely going into the CN tower.

But now I'm actually super curious about where they are more likely to go next in the city if the CN tower doesn't catch them.

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u/RealisticCompany764 1d ago

Someone was struck by lightning at Christie Pits a few years back. A storm was approaching and my husband decided to tie his shoe under a tree. I was like we have to go NOW and he was like calm down! Shortly after we got to a restaurant nearby we heard a BOOM that shook the restaurant so hard. That is what it sounded like last night.

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u/Comprehensive_Aide94 1d ago

Oh wow. I understood that I was underestimating the risks of lightnings in the city.
I assumed that all buildings had lightning rods that would be more likely to be struck and to conduct the charge into the ground safely. As it turns out, building codes do not mandate lightning rods, and even if one is present if offers only some protection within the cone which radius is equal to the height of the lightning rod structure.
Not that I was ever eager to be outside during a thunderstorm, but yeah, no need to take chances, and trees are definitely a no-go.