Strokes of cloud-to-ground lightning strike the Mediterranean Sea off of Port-la-Nouvelle in southern France. Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through …

Nov 25, 2025 · Lightning, the visible discharge of electricity that occurs when a region of a cloud acquires an excess electrical charge, either positive or negative, sufficient to break down the …

What is lightning? Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air, or the ground. In the early stages of development, air acts as an insulator between the positive and …

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

Oct 9, 2009 · Here’s everything you need to know about lightning, from how it forms to common myths and how to stay safe.

Lightning is a gigantic electrical discharge. It originates in storm clouds called cumulonimbus, which are very large and heavily laden with water. Inside these clouds, air currents cause water...

Feb 4, 2025 · When the electric field becomes strong enough, the energy is released as a bolt of lightning, travelling between the cloud and the ground or within the cloud itself.

Nov 20, 2025 · Lightning is the electrical discharge in the atmosphere that can occur between clouds, ground, or into the air itself. The atmosphere is an insulator between positively and negatively …

Nov 25, 2025 · Lightning’s visible flash travels at the speed of light, while the electrical discharge is slower, around 200 million miles per hour.

Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. [1][2][3] Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in …