BEST LIGHTNING STRIKES - Top 10 Countdown

Number 10 was in East Texas. Close cloud to ground lightning bolts were crashing all around me, but this one was front and center.

Number 9 occurred this year in West Texas where horizontal lightning was slashing across the sky for miles.

Sometimes lightning occurs with one abrupt flash. Other times several return strokes make it flicker. Number eight was captured near Paducah Texas.

When you average 40,000 miles per year chasing storms between South Texas and North Dakota, it’s a treat capturing lightning from your home patio. Number seven was captured over the Williams tower in Houston Texas

Number 6 struck the Earth near Perryton Texas. This close strike was captured so clearly, you can see it scorching the earth. This is the best video I’ve witnessed of the decaying lightning channel’s luminosity breaking up into smoldering segments. We call this phenomenon bead lightning or chain lightning.

Over the years, I’ve lost count how many storms I’ve staked out from this overlook in Houston. Early one morning in 2015, persistence finally paid off with a close crystal clear crash of lightning striking a tree.

Number 4 and Number 3 occurred on an Oklahoma evening of anvil crawler lightning heaven. Anvil crawler lightning can be chaotic, but there’s something extra special about witnessing the symmetric, electric blossoms filling the sky with fire.

Number two happened in the AM hours in the sleepy town of Holiday TX.
lightning caught on camera striking a house twice. The pulsing blue glow are power flashes, or exploding transformers.

The strike was so brief, my camera one at 30 fps hardly caught it. But Camera two set at 250 frames per second captured lighting striking the house.

Number one takes us back to that crazy evening of anvil crawler lightning in Oklahoma. From the top of a small mountain, pointing the camera straight up, I was able to capture the birth of an anvil crawler directly overhead at 2000 frames per second. This relative close proximity to the camera revealed a phenomenon I’ve never seen captured in such detail… The increased luminosity of the leader tips appearing like blue headlights searching along dark highways.

All Video Copyright Hank Schyma 2017
Tag music: Crossed the Line" by Southern Backtones

[Chrisket]

Absolutely stunning, I’ve never seen anything even remotely close to this

[noah]

You are by far my favorite youtuber : D

[TheNiteNinja]

The investment in slow motion high resolution cameras makes you one of the greatest independent storm videographers I've ever seen. And then you just ice the cake with your incredible narrations and musical talent, I feel you deserve more credit than what you get!

Like the fine details I notice such as the guitar strum as the lightning hits.

I wish I had the equipment to catch lightning. I have the ability to record 1080p at 240fps on my LG V20 but I can't get the fstop low enough to get good captures at night.

[mirandabrowning]

My husband would absolutely love this video. He aspired to be either a professional bass fisherman or a storm spotter. He was outside watching every storm possible. Unfortunately he passed away enjoying both of his favorite things nature provided. He was struck by lightning while fishing on August 28, 2018.

If you google Ryen Browning, you will be taken to the news articles about his death.

[Vladpryde]

My nipples tingled when I woke up this morning.

I was like "yep....Pecos Hank has uploaded a new video".

[Glockenspheal]

I clicked this video...



*Lightning fast*

[marklocke]

My wife and I said "WOW" about a hundred times, not a bong in sight!!!

[spidah]

Top 10 best YouTube channels

1. Pecos Hank
2. Pecos Hank
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4. Pecos Hank
5. Pecos Hank
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10. Pecos Hank

[BWG]

Hank's Videos are great. The best lightning strikes would only obviously be taken by Hank.

[ermackoresh]

I legit almost started crying. It's so beautiful

[monkeysnatch]

There is nothing I don’t like about this video, the awesome guitar playing and the narration. You’re simply awesome.

[mrsbs]

Fantastic & gorgeous videos!!! You are so lucky to be able to capture these gorgeous electrical shows of mother nature!!

[hollyrobinson]

I’m so glad You did this!!!! So Thank you!!!

[kcaop]

@PecosHank, what can I say? The best just keeps getting better! Now how about some ball lightening?

[dylansmithart]

You are the reason why I love doing Lightning Photography! Thanks Hank!

[patriciahelms]

Wow!!! Beautiful!!! Watched lightning storms with my dad as a child!!!

[rocksreynolds]

What a superb film, and love your music. Cheers and have a great weekend PH!

[Hewset]

I would love to see the next set of top thunder storms since. love these vids with music. so calming. Thanks for the great vids

[HikerHansen]

So refreshing to watch a top 10 countdown that ISN'T stripped from random YouTube channels. I was amazing to see that they all came from you!

[martineames]

Awesome work as ever Hank, you’re one dedicated dude to Mother Nature’s madness.