2003-09-18 - Rocky Mount, NC - Flash

Rocky Mount, North Carolina car enveloped by an intense, transient green flash during Hurricane Isabel.

My daughter and I were driving in my car headed east on English Road just about 200 meters from Winstead Ave. as we experienced a strange phenomenon. My daughter is a very rational and academically gifted 16 year old high school student. I am a physician. I have been in practice for 20 years since completion of training. I also have a strong background in abstract and applied mathematics and physics and I have actively maintained and advanced my scientific side. Rocky Mount was engaged by Hurricane Isabel at that time as we had ventured out on the road. Suddenly, a low frequency, low intensity hum vibrated the car and though I ducked my head down reflexively, an intense but very transient flash of green light enveloped the car. My daughter asked, "What was that?" I suggested it was possibly ball lightening but I am not sure. There was moderate rain and wind at the moment and the road condition was wet but not flooded. The sky was overcast with a thick, dark gray and relatively low blanket of rain clouds as one would expect of a hurricane. However, I had neither seen lightening nor heard thunder during the entire day.

Later as I returned home, I looked carefully at all the wires and poles in that area. There were no transformers to be seen and the wires all looked unremarkably intact. The area where this occurred is developed on one side with office buildings and has woods and high grass on the other for a space extending about 1/3 of a mile to I-64.

In a cursory search, I saw nothing in the area to suggest a meteor had fallen. I did not see any evidence of aircraft in the area. Furthermore, it would have been extremently hazardous for aircraft of any sort to fly through Hurricane Isabel. There was no damage to the car whatsoever.

I still am lacking for an explanation as to what we experienced.