Photo of a lightning storm
John Sirlin/Alamy Stock Photo

Storm Struck!

On a highway in Floridaa car is hit by a bolt of lightningWhat happens to the family inside?

By Talia Cowen
From the March/April 2023 Issue
Lexile: 500L-600L, 700L-800L
Guided Reading Level: R
DRA Level: 40
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WORD HUNT!

In the article, find:

  • 3 adjectives that mean powerful
  • 2 verbs that mean growing
  • 1 idiom that means is very strong

Last July, 13-year-old Edward Whalen was riding in a pickup truck with his dad and two sisters. Outside the window, inky-black clouds were swelling in the Florida sky. Edward had seen big storms before, but never one as fierce as this.

Then . . . Crack!

A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky. With a sizzling boom, it hit Edward’s car

Would he and his family be OK?

Staying Safe

Headshot

Courtesy of the Whalen family

Edward Whalen

Lightning is a sudden flow of electricity, either within clouds or between clouds and the ground. A bolt of lightning is thinabout as wide as a marker. But it packs a punch. One bolt is potent enough to power a small city for about a minute.

Lightning strikes are common. Every second, about 50 lightning bolts hit somewhere on Earth. But it’s very unusual for a person to get struck. (You’re actually more likely to get hurt while using a toilet than to be hit by lightning.)

Still, these mighty bolts are dangerous. So you should be careful. If you hear a thunderstorm developing, it’s best to stay indoors. If you’re outside when the storm begins, you should take shelter inside the closest buildingor a car.

Photo of lightning strike taken by person in car on the highway

 Courtesy of the Whalen family

Lightning striking the Whalen family’s car

Shocking Power

So what happened to Edward, his dad, and his sisters? Luckily, their car acted as a shield against the lightningprotecting them from harm.

The bolt did some damage. It fried the electronics inside the car, causing it to break down. Edwardhis dad, and his sisters also suffered some headaches and bruises

The experience was frightening, says Edward. But it also left him in awe of natureand its most shocking power

FACT FINDER!

WHAT is lightning?

HOW OFTEN does lightning hit Earth?

HOW can you keep safe from lightning?

This article was originally published in the March/April 2023 issue.

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Background Builder Slideshow: How Lightning Forms

<p style="text-align: left;">Learn how lightning forms before reading the article “Storm Struck!&quot;</p>

Background Builder Slideshow: How Lightning Forms

Learn how lightning forms before reading the article “Storm Struck!"

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Mini Read: Storm Struck!

Mini Read: Storm Struck!
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