Lightning strike sends bride scrambling during photo shoot, NC photographer says
'Once the initial strike happened and we immediately fell to the ground, my first instinct was we got to get out of there,' Katie McDaniel, who had been posing for pictures before her upcoming wedding, told WCNC. 'I thought the tree was going to fall when the lightning struck it. I heard the cracking.'
McDaniel told the TV station she thinks the lightning sent a current through the tree's roots, jolting the people in her group. The ordeal happened at Carver's Gap, near the North Carolina-Tennessee border and a roughly 65-mile drive northeast from Asheville.
Photographer Brianna Pendley said skies were blue when the group of four ventured up Roan Mountain on June 27. Then it started to rain and hail, forcing everyone to seek cover, according to a Facebook post.
'Within literal milliseconds we were on the ground screaming because (lightning) had struck the tree/ground that we were under,' Pendley wrote. 'I felt the electricity in my feet and legs, and saw smoke coming from the ground so I knew it wasn't good.'
After the lightning came out of the sky with 'no warning,' the dirt-covered group scurried down the mountain to safety, Pendley wrote on social media and told WSOC.
'At the bottom we ran into a bunch of people, some who said they seen the (lightning) strike where we were and heard the crying and screaming and were concerned,' the photographer wrote. 'We all ended up in the ER getting tests done and hooked to monitors.'
No serious injuries were reported. Pendley said she feels 'blessed to live to tell about' the frightening moments.
'Yesterday was literally the scariest day of my life, hands down,' she wrote June 28.
Pendley and McDaniel didn't immediately respond to McClatchy News' requests for comment on July 3.
When thunderstorms hit, experts urge people to head inside immediately. If that's not possible, it's recommended to go to an area with lower elevation, avoid sheltering under isolated trees and get out of bodies of water, according to the National Weather Service.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
3 hours ago
- NBC News
Meteorologist defends texting his wife during a live broadcast: ‘It's me being human'
A Minnesota meteorologist stirred up a storm of his own by texting his wife during a live broadcast. Nick Jansen had been in the KTTC studio for three hours on July 28, tracking severe weather across the Twin Cities with his team. During a colleague's power outage update, the cameras cut to Jansen, who was caught with his head down, typing on his phone. Jansen, 32, quickly apologized to viewers, explaining that he was making sure his wife, Angie, and their 5-month-old daughter, Jamie, were secure in the basement. In an interview with Jansen said Angie typically goes to bed early, but he asked her to keep her ringer on in case the weather worsened. After sending the message, Jansen continued reporting on thunderstorms and wind gusts exceeding 76 mph. Later, Jansen received an email from a viewer, which he addressed in a Facebook post that has since gone viral. The message accused him of being 'unprofessional,' but it was one line in particular that struck a nerve: 'That he has to call his wife to make sure she takes the baby to safety? Maybe some people think it's noble or cute. I don't.' While speaking to TODAY, Jansen revealed that a few years earlier, he had texted Angie during a tornado warning that directly impacted their home, and received backlash for that as well. 'So when I received this latest email, I was like, you know what? I don't think it's acceptable that I can't take a second to make sure my loved ones are OK,' Jansen said. 'I'm sure a lot of viewers were texting their families. And we always say on-air, 'If you know someone in such-and-such a town, make sure to let them know this is coming.' So I was kind of taking my own advice.' Rather than simply brushing off the criticism, Jansen responded with honesty and vulnerability, offering a glimpse into the difficult balance between his professional responsibilities and his role at home. 'In the middle of severe weather, I decided to take a brief moment to make sure my wife and child were safely in the basement,' Jansen wrote on Facebook. 'That's not me being unprofessional, it's me being human. I am a husband and a father FIRST. Let's all try to show each other a little more understanding and respect in life.' KTTC vice president and general manager Stephanie Hendrick praised Jansen and the First Alert weather team for their dedication to keeping the public informed and protected. 'KTTC knows that when our meteorologists, anchors and reporters are delivering the news, they are also talking to their own families- informing them and helping to keep them safe,' Hendrick said in a statement. 'In this case, viewers saw that happen live — Nick being a good husband and dad by taking a moment and making sure they were safe.'
USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
Watch brushfire scorch acres in Maui's Ka'anapali community
Nearly two years after the devastating wildfires in Maui, firefighters on the island are fighting yet another blaze in the resort community of Ka'anapali. According to a news release from the Maui Emergency Management Agency, the brushfire is burning near the old Sugar Cane Train warehouse. Firefighting efforts in the area have caused both lanes of the Honoapiʻilani Highway between Puʻukoliʻi Road and Lower Honoapiʻilani Highway to shut down. Evacuations were issued to areas near the fire, with officials asking residents close to the blaze to leave due to the effects of smoke and proximity. Fortunately, in an X post, officials with the Maui Fire Department said on Monday, Aug. 4, that the fire had been mostly contained. 'Fire is 90% contained," the post reads. "Firefighters will remain on scene overnight to continue mop up and address any hot spots that present themselves." Watch Ka'anapali fire Before the fire was mostly contained, video from the blaze shows it ripping through the brush as firefighters attempted to contain its spread. How many acres did the Ka'anapali fire burn? The county of Maui shared in a Facebook post that said around 2 p.m. local time on Monday, Aug. 4, the "fire intensity has been significantly reduced and forward progress of the flames has been halted." However, county officials said in the social media post that the "roughly 33-acre fire is still smoldering and requires further containment efforts." It is unclear if anyone was injured or killed due to the fires. USA TODAY contacted the Maui Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday, Aug. 8, but has not received a response. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
FORECAST: Cloudy skies, cooler temps for the weekend
ABOVE: The latest forecast update from Severe Weather Center 9. To stay on top of changing weather conditions, be sure to download our free WSOC-TV weather app. FORECAST: A dramatic change in our weather pattern as we head into this weekend. Cloudy skies and light rain, mist and drizzle will be with us off and on today as temps struggle to get out of the 70s. Some of that light rain may linger into this evening for Panthers Fan Fest, but it won't likely washout the event. We keep temps close to 80 again tomorrow with another shot of light rain (mainly in the morning.) Next week trends drier to start out and we keep the 80s for highs all week! >> Channel 9's Weather 24/7 stream has the latest local weather all day, every day. Watch wherever you stream — on our website, or through your mobile app or smart TV. WEATHER RESOURCES: WSOC Weather 24/7 Interactive Radar Download our weather app for Severe Weather Alerts Hour-by-Hour Forecast 7-Day Forecast FOLLOW OUR TEAM ON X: Chief Meteorologist John Ahrens Meteorologist Keith Monday Meteorologist Joe Puma Meteorologist Danielle Miller Solve the daily Crossword
