A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HIT PWR LINES.

Narrative

THE BALLOON WAS TRAVELING E WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED STRONG LAKE-EFFECT WINDS COMING OFF LAKE MICHIGAN. WE WERE TURNED N AND THEN NW AND QUICKLY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFTS. I MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I WAS APCHING A FIELD FLYING LEVEL AT APPROX 100 FT AGL WHEN I GOT CAUGHT IN A ROTOR THAT TURNED ME AWAY FROM THE FIELD. I BEGAN ASCENDING AT 500 FPM TO CROSS A ROAD AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER LNDG SITE. AT APPROX 30 FT AGL; I WAS PUSHED TO THE GND BY A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT. I CONTACTED PWR LINES WITH 1 CORNER OF THE BALLOON BASKET. THE CONTACT SEVERED 1 SET OF SUPPORT CABLES ON THE BALLOON. AFTER THE CONTACT; I SAFELY FLEW THE BALLOON TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE FIELD AND LANDED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY PAX; NOR WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE PWR LINES. THE BALLOON SUFFERED DAMAGE TO 1 SET OF CABLES CONNECTING THE ENVELOPE TO THE BASKET; BUT WAS NOT DAMAGED ENOUGH THAT PREVENTED IT FROM FLYING ON TO A SAFE LNDG. LAKE EFFECT WINDS ON THE W SIDE OF LAKE MICHIGAN CAN KICK IN WITH NO WARNING. THEY CAN CAUSE SEVERE TURB AS THEY TRAVEL AWAY FROM THE LAKE. GETTING CAUGHT IN THESE WINDS; I HAVE LEARNED THAT A BETTER DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO GAIN LOTS OF ALT AND RIDE IT OUT UNTIL THE WINDS CALM DOWN BEFORE TRYING TO LAND; OR TO LAND BEFORE GETTING CAUGHT IN THE TURB IF YOU SEE IT COMING.