The Lightning Cloud

Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds the air or the ground.

The lightning cloud.

Most lightning occurs within the clouds. For a longer discussion of lightning within its. Lightning the visible discharge of electricity that occurs when a region of a cloud acquires an excess electrical charge either positive or negative that is sufficient to break down the resistance of air. Heat lightning is a lightning flash that appears to produce no discernible thunder because it occurs too far away for the thunder to be heard.

In the early stages of development air acts as an insulator between the positive and negative charges in the cloud and between the cloud and the ground. Forked lightning is cloud to ground lightning that exhibits branching of its path. A brief description of lightning follows. There are roughly 5 to 10 times as many flashes that remain in the cloud as there are flashes which travel to the ground but individual storms may have more or fewer.

Most lightning starts inside a thunderstorm and travels through the cloud. It can then stay within the cloud or continue to travel through the open air and eventually to ground.