Manchester, N.J. teacher struck by lightning outside school

A teacher is recovering after getting struck by lightning outside an Ocean County school during nor’easter conditions Wednesday afternoon, authorities say.

NBC10 reported that the woman was on bus duty outside Manchester Township Middle School around 2:30 p.m. when she was struck.

Authorities have not identified the teacher, who is currently in stable condition at an area hospital.

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department had warned residents via text at 2:38 p.m. to shelter in place due to numerous lighting strikes in the area associated with thundersnow.

JSHN contributors reported lightning strikes throughout the Monmouth and Ocean county area amid the nor’easter impacting the area.

Here’s how wikipedia explains thundersnow:

Thundersnow, also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thunder snowstorm, is an unusual kind of thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It typically falls in regions of strong upward motion within the cold sector of an extratropical cyclone. Thermodynamically, it is not different from any other type of thunderstorms but the top of the cumulonimbus is usually quite low. As well as snow, graupel or hail falls.

One unique aspect of thundersnow is that the snowfall acts as an acoustic suppressor of the thunder. The thunder from a typical thunderstorm can be heard many miles away, while the thunder from thundersnow can usually only be heard within a two to three mile radius from the lightning. In the United States, March is the peak month of formation, and on average, only 6.3 events are reported per year.