"I Thought Jesus Was Comin'"

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UPDATE: 9:30am Monday:  From my friend NWS hydrometeorologist Greg Story who was also at the game:

Before the big bang there was a cloud-to-ground strike about a mile east of the stadium that rumbled the park. Then the PA announcer got on and told all fans in the upper deck to move to a seat in the lower deck. Many moved, but there was no more lightning and no rain. Then all of a sudden we got the ear piercing bang of thunder. I didn't even see a flash! When I got home and saw the replay it looked like there may have been a flash, but it was behind me and blocked by the park.



UPDATE II: It may have struck the stadium. See link here.



ORIGINAL POSTING:

While we were enjoying a spectacular thunderstorm at sunset in Wichita, 290 miles south of us along I-35, the DFW Metroplex was dealing with storms, as well.



My son, Richard, was at the game and, like the announcer, he said it was the loudest thunder he has ever heard. Judging from the brightness of the flash on the video (since it was mid-afternoon), it obviously was quite close. There a news story here with even better video, but I am not posting it because it is one of those where it starts whether you click on it or not.

Richard also said the Rangers were apparently caught by surprise by the storm. It was moving from northeast to southwest.

Here is a story about the strike, including:

Rangers officials said the lightning struck north of stadium and didn't hit the facility. There were no reports of damage or any injuries.

While there were scattered storms in the surrounding area, no rain was falling when the lightning and thunder jolted everyone in the ballpark in the top of the fourth inning.

"That's the loudest noise I've ever heard. I thought Jesus was comin!," Twins center fielder Denard Span tweeted during the ensuing delay.

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