Turns out that the bottom of the cloud is negatively charged and usually is
the cause of cloud to earth strikes. The top of the cloud is positively
charged and can strike 5 or 10 miles out away from the cloud. This means
you can be struck even if you're 10 miles away from the cloud and think
you're safe. Up or down? If you talk electron flow, it can be either way.
The following I clipped from a website:

The average lightning stroke has a peak electrical current of 30,000 amps.
Extreme lightning discharges can reach 10 times that, while some discharges,
especially those within a cloud, are only a few thousand amps. In terms more
people are familiar with, the electricity flowing within a lightning bolt
can reach 200 million volts. Combined with the high amperage, lightning has
enough energy to kill instantly.

So, 200 million volts at 30,000 (possibly 300,000) Amperes. So much for the
shoot-outs LOL.

73 from Rochester, NY
Jim


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