August storms rumble across WV: Severe weather confined to OH, PA and northern WV panhandle: August 20, 2005

ABOVE: 'Bolts from the blue' from a thunderstorm over Clendenin in northern Kanawha County.

EXPEDITION VIDEO 1: 'Bolts from the blue' from growing cumulonimbus cloud: Windows Media, 1.3MB
EXPEDITION VIDEO 2: Growing cumulonimbus cloud time-lapse: Windows Media, 4.3MB
EXPEDITION VIDEO 3: Sun rays and fog over road: Windows Media, 2.6MB

CLENDENIN, WV - Storms with frequent lightning affected most of the state through Saturday night. Severe weather was commonplace in the Pittsburgh area, but most of West Virginia was spared from any significant damaging storms.

A storm over Clendenin in northern Kanawha County demonstrated how far lightning can strike away from its parent thunderstorm. Two cloud-to-ground lightning bolts arced out of the top of the storm into clear air, striking the ground many miles away from the storm. These 'bolts from the blue' can take unsuspecting people outdoors by surprise, as they often strike where no rain is falling and where 'blue sky' is still overhead.

BELOW: 'Bolts from the blue' from a thunderstorm over Clendenin.

Video frames: