A BE30 TURBOPROP SUFFERS A LIGHTNING STRIKE AT FL330 WHILE IN THE PROX OF TSTM ACTIVITY NEAR FSD; SD; ON FREQ WITH ZMP; MN.

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WHILE CRUISING AT FL330 ON A FLT TO FLYING CLOUD ARPT; I OBSERVED AN AREA OF WX ALONG OUR RTE OF FLT THAT EXTENDED FROM NE AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA TO SE AND EASTERN N DAKOTA; INTO S DAKOTA AND PARTS OF SW MINNESOTA. ATC ADVISED THAT ACFT WERE DEVIATED TO THE S ALONG THIS WX; AND WE REQUESTED DEV TO THE S. AFTER APPROX 20-30 MINS; ATC ASKED HOW MUCH FARTHER WE INTENDED TO DEVIATE. WE REQUESTED ANOTHER 20 MI BEFORE PROCEEDING PER ATC INSTRUCTIONS DIRECT MASON CITY AND THE KASPR 2 ARR TO FLYING CLOUD. AS WE BEGAN OUR COURSE TOWARDS MCW; WE ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF LEVEL 3 RAIN SHOWERS; LIGHT TO MODERATE CONTINUOUS TURB; LIGHTNING TO OUR S AND AHEAD AT 12 O'CLOCK POS. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND HAND FLOWN FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLT. ALL ACFT SYS AND CTL FUNCTIONS WERE NORMAL AND THE FLT WAS NORMAL. UPON LNDG; A PAX OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SCORCHING ON THE AFT LOWER KEEL. I NOTICED THE SAME AND THAT THE STATIC WICK WAS MISSING. A FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED AN AREA OUT THE L TRAILING EDGE OF THE AILERON THAT SUGGESTED AN EXIT POINT. SVC WAS ASKED TO PUT THE ACFT IN THE MAINT HANGAR AND A FOLLOW-UP WAS PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING DAY. WHEN ASKED OF MAINT ABOUT THE AIRWORTHY CONDITION OF THE ACFT; THE REPLY WAS IT DIDN'T APPEAR ANY SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN AND THEN RETURNED FOR A SCHEDULED PHASE 2 INSPECTION WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE LESSON LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE IS NOT TO FEEL PRESSURED BY ATC'S INSISTENCE TO PROCEED ON COURSE DUE TO INCREASED VOLUME OF TFC; BUT TO CONTINUE AS DECIDED UNTIL THE ACFT IS CLR OF ALL POTENTIAL WX.