Western Washington from time to time will have lightning and subsequent thunder like everywhere else.  However lightning storms are a rare occaision.  One local news station stated that the record of lightning strikes occured in the 80's with around 3,000 strikes during the duration of the storm and that in the 8 hours or so that this one persisted they recorded over 2,500.  The storm blew through in three waves, of which I witnessed 2 that covered the span of about 4-5 hours.  The pictures that I took below were shot amongst roughly 1,000 exposures that I successively took over 2.5hours.  Out of those 8 were usuable and 3 were worth mentioning. 

 

Stats:

Canon Rebel

ISO: 100

Exposure Length: 5s

Focal length 28mm.

I hope you find them as amazing I we did.  I'd like to mention that the 3rd exposure here was the closest to us.  It hit and thundered at the same time.  The lightning bolt was about 1/2 mile from us.  It hit so hard and ferosciously that it over exposed my sensor.....But you get the gist of the power of it when you see it.

 

Ryan

 

Tendrels

From the Source

Rod of Light