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Here is another bolt from the storm from the evening of October 5. This bolt is pretty unusual
because it seems to have two bolts that closely followed each other until they diverged about
1/3 of the way to the ground. This strike was very close (the flash was less than 1 second
before the crack of thunder). I thought I may have bumped the camera / tripod when I jumped
(yes, I certainly did jump), but this is clearly two bolts and not a jarred image.

I have since been told that this is called ribbon lightning. Multiple-stroke flashes take
place when several bolts travel the same channel at split-second intervals. A heavy wind
during such a flash can blow the conductive channel several feet sideways between light
flashes, producing “ribbon lightning,” in which parallel glowing lines flare, each tracing
a different path of the conductive channel.

Here is a link to more info on lightning in general: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning

More of my lightning images at: http://www.pbase.com/pegsam/lightning