Lightning Strike in Air?
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Postmaster
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Lightning Strike in Air?
This afternoon I saw a few rain clouds, some rain clouds where it was raining had lightning strikes but this particular rain cloud had not broke any rain and suddenly a lightning strike came out of this cloud. I always seen lightning strikes where rain is falling but had seen lightning strikes where the cloud was not raining.
Question: Can a lightning strike where there is no rain falling?
A thoughts on lightning appreciated.
buck
Question: Can a lightning strike where there is no rain falling?
A thoughts on lightning appreciated.
buck
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,728
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From: Damascus-Boring, Ore
You bet it can. Lightening can happen during volcanic eruptions (something we're intimately familiar with in the Nwst) and forest fires.
Another bit of trivia: "Although commonly associated with close thunderstorms, lightning strikes can occur on a day that seems devoid of clouds. This occurrence is known as "A Bolt From the Blue" and is due to the fact that lightning can strike up to 10 miles from a cloud."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightening
Another bit of trivia: "Although commonly associated with close thunderstorms, lightning strikes can occur on a day that seems devoid of clouds. This occurrence is known as "A Bolt From the Blue" and is due to the fact that lightning can strike up to 10 miles from a cloud."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightening
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 796
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From: KCMO
Lightning should definitely not be allowed to strike anywhere, anytime, unless it is raining. Where is our government while all this is going on? There ought to be a law. I mean, if we can put Tang on the moon, why can't we control the lightning?
Postmaster
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The goverment does control the lightning! Its a conspiracy man. Oh crud my tinfoil hat fell off. Gotta go! 
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Post Fiend
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From: 21791
for those who didnt know or dont believe it, lightning strikes from the ground upwards. it always has to "hit" something for it to start.
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Hotshot
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From: Marengo, Iowa
Originally Posted by andym
I knew lightning could strike without rain, but I didn't know that they could happen in a volcanic eruption or a forest fire. Cool, you learn something new every day.
Hotshot
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From: iowa
Heat lightening is very common in eastern WA, I have seen it many times. No rain just thunder and lightening. Another one that isn't mentioned here and I have only seen once in my life is ball lightening. some claim it doesn't actually exist but hey some claim bigfoot doesn't exist either.<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253F partner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNxdm824BXUS%2526i%253D23 %252Fim%252Froflmao%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/im/roflmao.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252F nocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egi f%253Fi%253D23%252Fim%252Froflmao/image.gif"></a>
Post Fiend
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From: in the adirondack mts
strokin_it3.3 lightning goes up and down. it depends on the system. not all lightning originates from the ground, though some do. depends on wether its a warm front over riding a cold front or vise-vesa. there are lots of air to ground strikes everyday. the ground may be the target, but not always the originater of the discharge. check out the FAA and the hits on planes. all cloud to target hits. most idgits hit on golf courses are cloud to ground strikes. the charge goes to earth in almost every one of those poor sob's
Last edited by lenny1carl; Aug 17, 2006 at 11:20 PM.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Marengo, Iowa
According to my NWS training, lightning can go either way as far as dischartge goes. What happens is that there are "leaders," fingers, if you will extending from the ground, as well as from the air towards the ground. When they are both close enough to discharge, a lightning bolt forms. If you ever are out, and you feel your hair start to stand out like that sciece class demonstration with the static making ball, you need to get as short as you can, because you are in one of the leaders, and at very high risk of being struck...
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Postmaster
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I'm been thinking about of joining FTE and becoming a "Supporter", This is an awesome site, Ken is right this site is needing a very big server. Everyone has very good information .
Lightning from polarbears link, originally originates from the sun, solar flares. It charges up all these atoms, ethier a positive or negative charges.
I have always thought but not anymore, that the dry zone was the safe zone.
That taking into consideration, I have seen hundreds of lightning strikes and all have seem to originate thru the rain or rain mist.
.Lightning from polarbears link, originally originates from the sun, solar flares. It charges up all these atoms, ethier a positive or negative charges.
I have always thought but not anymore, that the dry zone was the safe zone.
That taking into consideration, I have seen hundreds of lightning strikes and all have seem to originate thru the rain or rain mist.
Last edited by 1975Ford; Aug 17, 2006 at 11:42 PM.
