Lightning

What is lightning?
Lightning is a bright flash of electricity produced by a thunderstorm. All thund
erstorms produce lightning and are very dangerous. If you hear the sound of thun
der, then you are in danger from lightning. Lightning kills and injures more peo
ple each year than hurricanes or tornadoes; between 75 to 100 people.
Lightning
What causes lightning?
Lightning is an electric current. Within a thundercloud way up in the sky, many
small bits of ice (frozen raindrops) bump into each other as they move around in
the air. All of those collisions create an electric charge. After a while, the
whole cloud fills up with electrical charges. The positive charges or protons fo
rm at the top of the cloud and the negative charges or electrons form at the bot
tom of the cloud. Since opposites attract, that causes a positive charge to buil
d up on the ground beneath the cloud. The grounds electrical charge concentrates
around anything that sticks up, such as mountains, people, or single trees. The
charge coming up from these points eventually connects with a charge reaching d
own from the clouds and - zap - lightning strikes!
How Lightning Forms
Have you ever rubbed your feet across carpet and then touched a metal door handl
e? If so, then you know that you can get shocked! Lightning works in the same wa
y.
Static Electricity
Click Here to see where lightning is currently striking across the U.S.
How hot is lightning?
Lightning is approximately 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That is six times hotter t
han the surface of the sun!
What color is lightning?
Lightning seems to be clear or a white-yellow color, but it really depends on th
e background.
Lightning
What causes thunder?
Thunder is caused by lightning. When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to
the ground it actually opens up a little hole in the air, called a channel. Once
then light is gone the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we h
ear as thunder. The reason we see lightning before we hear thunder is because li
ght travels faster than sound!
How do you know if lightning is nearby?
If you see dark clouds, then lightning could be present, but the best thing you
can do is to listen for thunder. If you hear thunder, then you need to go indoor
s or get in a car. Don't be outside, where lightning could strike! If your hair
stands on end or your skin starts to tingle, lightning maybe about to strike. Ge
t down on your hands and knees and keep your head tucked in. Do not lay flat, be
cause it can give lightning a better chance of strike you.
Lightning
How far away can you see lightning and hear thunder?
Within those distant thunderstorms, the lightning bolts can be seen as much as 1
00 miles from us, depending on the height of the bolt, the clarity of the air, a
nd our elevation. Thunder, in comparison, has a much shorter range of detection
- usually less than 15 miles in a quiet rural setting and under 5 miles in a noi
sy city environment.

Why are you less likely to see static electricity in the summer?
In the summer, our dew points are much higher due to warm and humid air coming f
rom the Gulf of Mexico and that is why we have humid weather. In the winter, our
dew points are much lower due to cold and direr air coming from Canada. The low
er the dew point the better it is to create static electricity, so that's why yo
u see it more in the winter.
What is cloud-to-ground lightning?
All lightning is dangerous, but cloud-to-ground lightning is the most dangerous
type of lightning. Most cloud-to-ground lightning strikes come from the negative
ly charged bottom of the cloud traveling to the positively charged ground below.
Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts strike the tall objects, like trees and building
s. These lightning strikes can cause fire and property damage. If you're the tal
lest object, then lighting can strike you. Lightning is the second weather relat
ed killed.
What is intracloud lightning?
Intracloud lightning is the most common type of lightning. This occurs when ther
e are both positive and negative charges within the same cloud. Usually, the pro
cess takes place within the cloud and looks like a bright flash of light which f
lickers.
What is intercloud lightning?
Intercloud lightning is less common. It's when a lightning strike occurs when th
ere are positive and negative charges within different clouds and the strike tra
vels in the air between them.
What is forked lightning?
Forked lighting appears as jagged lines of light. They can have several branches
. Forked lightning can be seen shooting from the clouds to the ground, from one
cloud to another cloud, or from a cloud out into the air. This lightning can str
ike up to 10 miles away from a thunderstorm.
Lightning
What is sheet lightning?
Sheet lightning appears as flashes of light that seem to light up or illuminate
entire clouds.
What is heat lightning?
Heat lightning is a term used to describe lightning flashes that are too far awa
y from you to hear the thunder. The reason that it is called heat lightning is t
hat it appears most often on a hot summer day when the sky is clear overhead.
What is high-altitude lightning?
High-altitude lightning has been given other names such as "red sprites," "green
elves," and "blue jets." This form of lightning appears as brightly colored fla
shes, high above thunderstorms. You can't see these types of lightning from the
ground.
What is ribbon lightning?
Ribbon lightning is when a bolt of lightning separates due to wind and appears a
s parallel lightning streaks.
What is chain or bead lightning?
Chain or bead lightning is when a lightning bolt is broken into dotted lines whi
le fading.
What is ball lightning?

Ball lightning is a rare form of lightning.

inous ball, but can come in any color. Ball
ape and about one foot in diameter. Hissing
they sometimes make a loud noise when they
Ball Lightning

It usually appears as a reddish, lum

lightning is usually spherical in sh
noises originate from such balls and
explode.

What is St. Elmo's Fire?

St. Elmo's Fire appears as a blue or greenish glow above pointed objects on the
ground. It is created when tiny positively charged sparks reach up in response t
o negatively charges in the air or clouds above the ground. If a thunderstorm is
nearby, St. Elmo's Fire might be seen right before a lightning strike.
What is anvil lightning?
Anvil lightning is a type of lightning referred to as "the bolt from the blue" b
ecause it often appears suddenly from a seemingly cloudless sky. A bolt at the t
op of a thunderstorm arcs away from the main cloud and strikes the ground where
the skies above often appear clear.
Can you tell how far away a storm is?
Yes, you can use thunder to tell how far away a storm is. Next time you see a st
orm, count the number of seconds between when you see the lightning and hear the
thunder. Take the number of seconds and divide by 5 and that will tell you how
far away the storm is in miles. For example: If you counted 10 seconds between t
he lightning and the thunder, the lightning is 2 miles away!
Counting How Far A Storms Is
Lightning StrikeKnow the LingoLightning Strike
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH - A severe thunderstorm (damaging winds of 58 miles pe
r hour or more, or 1" hail in diameter or greater) is likely to develop in your
area.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - A severe thunderstorm (damaging winds of 58 miles
per hour or more, or hail three-fourths of an inch in diameter or greater) is ta
king place in your area.
PROTONS - They are particles with a positive charge.
ELECTRONS - They are particles with a negative charge.
STATIC ELECTRICITY - It is a form of electricity that is created when an object
has too many electrons, giving it a negative charge.
LEADERS - A channel of charged air created by excess electrons in a thunderstorm
cloud. A leader reaches from the cloud to the ground below, looking for positiv
e charges.
RETURN STROKE - It's an electrical charge that travels from the ground to a thun
dercloud. This return stroke releases tremendous energy, bright light and thunde
r.
STREAMERS - A channel of charged air created by protons on the ground. They are
created when leaders are created and reach from the ground to the sky looking fo
r a leader to connect with.
Lightning StrikeKnow the FactsLightning Strike
DotA lightning flash is no more than one inch wide.
DotWhat we see as a flash of lightning may actually be four different strokes in
exactly the same place, one right after another. That's why lightning appears t
o flicker.

Click Here to see if there are any active warnings in your area.
Lightning StrikeLightning Safety TipsLightning Strike
IF YOU RE OUTDOORS: Keep an eye at the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of l
ightning, or increasing winds. Lightning often proceeds rain, so don t wait for th
e rain to begin. If you hear the sound of thunder, go to a safe place immediatel
y. The best place to go is a sturdy building or a car, but make sure the windows
in the car are shut. Avoid sheds, picnic areas, baseball dugouts and bleachers.
If there is no shelter around you, stay away from trees. Crouch down in the ope
n area, keeping twice as far away from a tree as far as it is tall. Put your fee
t together and place your hands over your ears to minimize hearing damage from t
hunder. If you re with a group of people stay about 15 feet from each other. Stay
out of water, because it s a great conductor of electricity. Swimming, wading, sno
rkeling and scuba diving are not safe. Also, don t stand in puddles and avoid meta
l. Stay away from clotheslines, fences, and drop your backpacks because they oft
en have metal on them. If you re playing an outdoor activity, wait at least 30 min
utes after the last observed lightning strike or thunder.
IF YOU RE INDOORS: Avoid water. It s a great conductor of electricity, so do not tak
e a shower, wash your hands, wash dishes or do laundry. Do not use a corded tele
phone. Lightning may strike exterior phone lines. Do not use electric equipment
like computers and appliances during a storm. Stay away from windows and doors a
nd stay off porches.
IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING: Call for help. Call 9-1-1 or send for help im
mediately. The injured person does not carry an electrical charge, so it is okay
to touch them.
Lightning StrikeLightning ActivitiesLightning Strike
Lightning Experiment: Here is a great experiment that allows kids to make lightn
ing in their mouth. It's a great way for them to understand how lightning works.
Lightning Experiment: Here is a great experiment that allows the kids to make li
ghtning. All you need is a balloon and a light bulb!
Lightning Experiment: Here is another great experiment that allows the kids to m
ake lightning. This teaches kids about the positive and negative charges and whe
re they come from.
Static Electricity Experiment: Here is an experiment that allows the kids to lea
rn about static electricity by sticking a balloon to a wall. This teaches kids a
bout the positive and negative charges and where they come from.
Static Electricity Experiment: Here is another static electricity experiment tha
t bends water. This teaches kids about the positive and negative charges and whe
re they come from.
Static Electricity Experiment: Here is yet another static electricity experiment
with using a balloon and your hair. This teaches kids about the positive and ne
gative charges and where they come from.
Thunder Experiment: This experiment allows kids to make thunder, in a way that a
llows them to understand how it is made by lightning.
Thunderstorm Experiment: Here is a great way to teach kids how to track a thunde
rstorm.
Thunderstorm Experiment: Here is a great experiment that shows kids how our weat
her works. It teaches them how thunderstorms are formed!

Science Fair Project Ideas: Here is a complete list of science fair project idea
s. Discover the science behind the weather that impacts us every day.