According to B&T’s quick Google search, you have one in 700,000 chance of being struck by lightning.
Arguably, those chances increase exponentially if you’re a TV weather reporter whose job it is to cover inclement weather patterns.
And that was certainly the case for Fox 10 Phoenix reporter Matt Rodewald who had a very close shave with a rogue lightning bolt while covering a monsoon storm in Phoenix over the weekend.
Check out Rodewald’s near miss and, to his credit, rather calm response below:
SCARY! Our reporter @Matt_Fox10 was getting ready for a live report on the monsoon storm last night when lightning suddenly struck nearby and knocked out power in the area. ⚡️😱 #monsoon #lightning #phoenix #arizona #fox10phoenix pic.twitter.com/YYewTMkqfB
— FOX 10 Phoenix (@FOX10Phoenix) August 29, 2019
Viewers soon took to social media to applaud Rodewald’s composure.
“Holy shit bro! You’re so lucky to still be breathing!” wrote one Twitter user.
While another added: “Yikes! I can tell you as an avid weather watcher, there is no shot worth risking your life for! I’m fine with reporting from the safety of the studio.”
Not that everyone was impressed. Another person tweeting: “Always such a good idea for reporters to be made to stand pointlessly outside in raging wind, rain and FLYING ELECTRICITY just for a badly shot piece that you can barely hear/see. Genius, all of you.”
