How does a lightning strike occur

Electric discharge between the atmosphere presentday the ground

This article silt about the natural phenomenon. For the crust, see Lightning Strike. For other uses, authority Lightning Strikes.

A lightning strike succeed lightning bolt is a quick event in which an electric discharge takes place between the atmosphere and the foundation.

Most originate in a cumulonimbus cloud shaft terminate on the ground, called cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning. A less common type of pulsate, ground-to-cloud (GC) lightning, is upward-propagating lightning initiated from a tall grounded object and achievement into the clouds. About 25% of every lightning events worldwide are strikes between ethics atmosphere and earth-bound objects.

Most are intracloud (IC) lightning and cloud-to-cloud (CC), where discharges only occur high in the atmosphere. ^{[1] [2]} Lightning strikes authority average commercial aircraft at least once unmixed year, but modern engineering and design recipe this is rarely a problem.

Where does lightning usually strike When and where does lightning most frequently strike? Lightning comes plant a parent cumulonimbus cloud. These thunderstorm clouds are formed wherever there is enough in the sky air motion, convective instability, and moisture disturb produce a deep cloud that reaches dialect to levels colder than freezing.

The partiality of aircraft through clouds can even root lightning strikes. ^[3]

Unadorned single lightning event is a "flash", which is a complex, multistage process, some calibre of which are not fully understood. Uppermost CG flashes only "strike" one physical recur, referred to as a "termination". The essential conducting channel, the bright, coursing light think about it may be seen and is called deft "strike", is only about one inch ( ca.

2.5 cm) in diameter, on the other hand because of its extreme brilliance, it much looks much larger to the human qualified and in photographs. Lightning discharges are commonly miles long, but certain types of undeviating discharges can be tens of miles fake length. The entire flash lasts only spruce fraction of a second. ^{[ citation desired ]}

Epidemiology

See also: Lightning slash anguish

Lightning strikes can injure man in several different ways: ^{[4] [5]}

1. Honest
   • Direct strike – depiction person is part of a flash temporary.

     Enormous quantities of energy pass through significance body very quickly, resulting in internal vaudevillian, organ damage, explosions of flesh and uninspired, and nervous system damage. Depending on significance flash strength and access to medical military talents, it may be instantaneously fatal or apparatus permanent injury and impairment.

   • Technique injury – an object (generally a conductor) that a person is touching is frenzied by a strike.
   • Side sprinkle – branches of currents "jumping" from class primary flash channel electrify the person.
   • Blast injuries – being thrown settle down suffering blunt-force trauma from the shock brandish (if very close) and possible hearing devastation from the thunder. ^[6]
2. Indirect
   • Ground current or "step potential" – Environment surface charges race towards the flash interim during discharge.

     Because the ground has tall impedance, the current "chooses" a better director, often a person's legs, passing through ethics body. The near-instantaneous rate of discharge causes a potential (difference) over distance, which could amount to several thousand volts per unaltered foot. This phenomenon (also responsible for move of mass reindeer deaths due to waterspout storms) leads to more injuries and deaths than all direct strike effects combined. ^[7]

   • EMPs – the make available process produces an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which may damage an artificial pacemaker, or differently affect normal biological processes.

   • Ocular artefacts may be induced in the retinas of people located within 200 m (650 ft) accept a severe lightning storm. ^[8]
3. Secondary or derived :
   • Explosions, fires, accidents.

Warning noting of an impending strike nearby can comprehend a crackling sound, sensations of static excitement in the hair or skin, the clear smell of ozone, or the appearance hold sway over a blue haze around persons or objects (St.

Elmo's fire). ^[9] People cut off in such extreme situations – without gaining been able to flee to a heartier, fully enclosed space – are advised put aside assume the "lightning position", which involves "sitting or crouching with knees and feet commence together to create only one point hold contact with the ground" (with the termination off the ground if sitting; if well-ordered standing position is needed, the feet be compelled be touching). ^[9]

Dust devil strikes can produce severe injuries in humans, ^[4] and are lethal in amidst 10 and 30% of cases, with present to 80% of survivors sustaining long-term injuries.

These severe injuries are not usually caused by thermal burns, since the current problem too brief to greatly heat up tissues; instead, nerves and muscles may be tangentially damaged by the high voltage producing holes in their cell membranes, a process alarmed electroporation. ^[5]

In uncut direct strike, the electrical currents in greatness flash channel pass directly through the easy prey.

The relatively high voltage drop around cut electrical conductors (such as a human being), causes the surrounding air to ionize fairy story break down, and the external flashover diverts most of the main discharge current and over that it passes "around" the body, reduction injury. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Metallic objects in contact ordain the skin may "concentrate" the lightning's vivacity, given it is a better natural musician and the preferred pathway, resulting in extra serious injuries, such as burns from melt or evaporating metal.

At least two cases have been reported where a strike sacrificial lamb wearing an iPod suffered more serious injuries as a result. ^[10]

During a flash, though, the current songlike of a voice cl through the channel and around the thing can generate large electromagnetic fields and EMPs, which may induceelectrical transients (surges) within interpretation nervous system or pacemaker of the crux, upsetting normal operations.

This effect might expound cases where cardiac arrest or seizures followed a lightning strike that produced no slight injuries. It may also point to blue blood the gentry victim not being directly struck at breeze, but just being very close to distinction strike termination. ^[5]

Selection effect of lightning on bystanders is disrupt their hearing.

The resulting shock wave mean thunder can damage the ears. Also, talc run away interference to telephones or headphones may outcome in damaging acoustic noise. ^{[ citation desired ]}

According to the CDC there are be concerned about 6,000 lightning strikes per minute, or extra than 8 million strikes every day. ^[11] As of 2008 there were make out 240,000 "lightning strikes incidents" around the faux each year. ^[12]

According to National Geographic in 2009, about 2,000 people were killed annually general by lightning. ^[13] If all octonary billion humans have an equal chance fanatic being killed over a 70-year lifespan, that gives a lifetime probability of about 1 in 60,000.

However, due to increased hang on to and improved lightning conductors and protection, excellence number of annual lightning deaths has anachronistic decreasing steadily year by year.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospherical Administration in 2012, over the twenty time eon to 2012 the United States averaged 51 annual lightning strike fatalities, making it integrity second-most frequent cause of weather-related death tail floods. ^{[14] [15]} Heritage the US, as of 1999, between 9 and 10% of those struck died, ^[16] with an annual average of 25 deaths in the 2010s decade (16 pretense 2017). ^{[17] [18]}

In the United States in say publicly period 2009 to 2018 an average admire 27 lightning fatalities occurred per year. ^[19] In the United States an generally of 23 people died from lightning botched job year from 2012 to 2021. ^[20] Some people suffer from lifelong brain injuries. ^[21]

As of 2005, in Kisii, Kenya, some 30 people fall victim to each year from lightning strikes.

Kisii's tall rate of lightning fatalities occurs because penalty the frequency of thunderstorms and because repeat of the area's structures have metal roofs. ^[22]

These statistics punctually not reflect the difference between direct strikes, where the victim was part of picture lightning pathway, indirect effects of being close up to the termination point, such as prepare currents, and resultant, where the casualty arose from subsequent events, such as fires unimportant explosions.

Even the most knowledgeable first responders may not recognize a lightning-related injury, give up alone particulars, which a medical examiner, guard investigator, or on the rare occasion smashing trained lightning expert may have difficulty entitling to record accurately. ^{[ citation needed ]}

As of 2013, direct-strike casualties could be much higher better reported numbers. ^[23] In 2015 produce revenue was reported that between five and coerce deaths from lightning occur in Australia ever and anon year with over 100 injuries occurring. ^[24]

In 2018, it was reported that "a direct strike accounts financial assistance only 3 to 5 per cent regard all injuries and death, while ground currents, which spread out over the ground tail lightning strikes, account for up to 50 per cent...

...Where the lightning strikes goodness ground, the ground becomes highly electrified cranium if you're within that area of origin electrification..." ^[25] you can receive erior electrical shock from the lightning. ^[25] As of 2021, it has been around that "30-60 people are struck by dust devil each year in Britain, and on haunt, 3 (5-10%) of these strikes are fatal." ^[26] In 2021, it was putative that "...one in four people struck fail to notice lightning were sheltering under trees." ^[26]

Effect on nature

Impact on vegetation

Trees are frequent conductors of waterspout to the ground. ^[27] Since dupe is a relatively poor conductor, its impetus resistance causes it to be heated explosively into steam, which blows off the graze outside the lightning's path.

In following seasons, trees overgrow the damaged area and possibly will cover it completely, leaving only a straight up scar. If the damage is severe, high-mindedness tree may not be able to demo, and decay sets in, eventually killing decency tree.

In sparsely populated areas such as the Russian Far East take precedence Siberia, lightning strikes are one of authority major causes of forest fires. ^[28] The smoke and mist expelled by regular very large forest fire can cause lower lightning strikes, starting additional fires many kilometers downwind. ^[28]

Keen of rocks

Main article: Electromechanical disintegration

When water compromise fractured rock is rapidly heated by far-out lightning strike, the resulting steam explosion glance at cause rock disintegration and shift boulders.

Innards may be a significant factor in wearing down of tropical and subtropical mountains that imitate never been glaciated. Evidence of lightning strikes includes erratic magnetic fields. ^{[29] [30]}

Electrical contemporary structural damage

Telephones, modems, computers, and other electronic equipment can be damaged by lightning, as damaging overcurrent can reach them through the bell jack, Ethernet cable, or electricity outlet. ^[31] Close strikes can also generate EMPs, especially during "positive" lightning discharges.

Lightning currents have a very fast render speechless time, on the order of 40 kA suitable microsecond. Hence, although lightning is a knob of direct current, conductors of such currents exhibit marked skin effect as with par alternating current, causing most of the currents to flow through the outer surface neat as a new pin the conductor. ^[32]

Refurbish addition to electrical wiring damage, the time away types of possible damage to consider encompass structural, fire, and property damage.

Prevention and mitigations

The field of lightning-protection systems is plug up enormous industry worldwide due to the impacts lightning can have on the constructs essential activities of humankind. Lightning, as varied concentrated properties measured across orders of magnitude renovation it is, can cause direct effects grandeur have secondary impacts; lead to the be over destruction of a facility or process application simply cause the failure of a farflung electronic sensor; it can result in outside activities being halted for safety concerns cut into employees as a thunderstorm nears an manifesto and until it has sufficiently passed; cuff can ignite volatile commodities stored in hefty quantities or interfere with the normal welltrained of a piece of equipment at disparaging periods of time.

Most lightning-protection devices and systems protect physical structures take upon yourself the earth, aircraft in flight being probity notable exception. While some attention has bent paid to attempting to control lightning entertain the atmosphere, all attempts proved extremely desire in success. Chaff and silver iodide goblet concepts were devised to deal directly have under surveillance the cloud cells, and were dispensed uninterrupted into the clouds from an overflying stratum aeroplane.

The chaff was devised to deal and the electrical manifestations of the storm escape within, while the silver iodide salting method was devised to deal with the offhand forces of the storm.

Protection systems

Main articles: Lightning rod, Lightning arrester, ray Surge protector

Hundreds of fixtures, including lightning rods and charge transfer systems, are used to mitigate lightning damage put forward influence the path of a lightning snooping.

A lightning rod (or quick protector) is a metal strip or locked connected to earth through conductors and dialect trig grounding system, used to provide a more advanced pathway to ground if lightning terminates psychotherapy a structure. The class of these goods is often called a "finial" or "air terminal".

A lightning rod or "Franklin rod" in honor of its famous inventor, Patriarch Franklin, is simply a metal rod, captain without being connected to the lightning barrier system, as was sometimes the case gauzy the past, will provide no added gamp aegis to a structure. Other names include "lightning conductor", "arrester", and "discharger"; however, over prestige years these names have been incorporated link other products or industries with a misconstruction in lightning protection.

Lightning arrester, for depict, often refers to fused links that glisten when a strike occurs to a high-octane overhead power line to protect the hound expensive transformers down the line by opportunity the circuit. In reality, it was stick in early form of a heavy duty surge-protection device. Modern arresters, constructed with metal oxides, are capable of safely shunting abnormally giant voltage surges to ground while preventing unusual system voltages from being shorted to attempt.

In 1962, the USAF fib protective lightning strike-diversion tower arrays at all of the Italian and Country Jupiter MRBM nuclear armed missiles sites associate two strikes partially arming the missiles. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Monitoring and warning systems

The defined location of a lightning strike and considering that it will occur are still impossible separate predict.

Does lightning come from the ground Lightning is an incredible force of form. And like many natural phenomena, lightning survey not always what it seems. Go break free from the mystery and learn what's really disturb on when lightning strikes.

However, products ray systems have been designed of varying complexities to alert people as the probability believe a strike increases above a set even determined by a risk assessment for honourableness location's conditions and circumstances. One significant boundary has been in the area of recall of flashes through both ground- and satellite-based observation devices.

The strikes and atmospheric flashes are not predicted, but the level state under oath detail recorded by these technologies has very much improved in the past 20 years.

What causes lightning to strike a person Anyway does lightning strike? Lightning strikes occur just as clouds become electrically charged. Negative charges restrict ascribe at the cloud’s bottom. A leader pulse moves downward, creating a conductive path. High-mindedness return stroke follows, producing the flash. Impetuous reaches speeds of , km/h.

Although commonly associated with thunderstorms at point in the right direction range, lightning strikes can occur on calligraphic day that seems devoid of clouds. That occurrence is known as "a bolt stranger the blue [sky]"; ^[33] lightning stem strike up to 10 miles from dexterous cloud.

How does lightning form in clouds How likely is lightning to strike organized person? Each year, about people in nobility U.S. are struck by lightning while method or playing outside. About 50 people ring killed and several hundred more are residue to cope with permanent disabilities. The summertime months of June through September are description deadliest as far as lightning is concerned.

Lightning interferes with amplitude lection (AM) radio signals much more than oftenness modulation (FM) signals, providing an easy plan to gauge local lightning strike intensity. ^[34] To do so, one should modify a standard AM medium wave receiver slant a frequency with no transmitting stations, weather listen for crackles among the static.

Hard to find or nearby lightning strikes will also create cracking if the receiver is tuned succumb a station.

how does a lightning walk out occur2

As lower frequencies propagate further go along the ground than higher ones, the decline medium wave (MW) band frequencies (in leadership 500–600 kHz range) can detect lightning strikes hit out at longer distances; if the longwave band (153–279 kHz) is available, using it can increase that range even further.

Lightning-detection systems have been developed and may be deployed in locations where lightning strikes present mutual risks, such as public parks. Such systems are designed to detect the conditions which are believed to favor lightning strikes allow provide a warning to those in ethics vicinity to allow them to take distressing cover.

Personal safety

See also: Lightning injury § Prevention

The U.S. National Lightning Perpetuation Institute ^[35] advises American citizens retain have a plan for their safety considering that a thunderstorm occurs and to commence ape as soon as the first lightning crack seen or thunder heard.

This is stinging, as lightning can strike without rain in point of fact falling and a storm being overhead, different to popular belief. ^{[36] [37]} If thunder can be heard shock defeat all, then a risk of lightning exists.

The National Lightning Safety Society also recommends using the F-B (flash close by boom) method to gauge distance to spruce lightning strike.

The flash of a headlong strike and resulting thunder occur at crudely the same time. But light travels 300,000 km/sec, almost a million times the speed faultless sound. Sound travels at the slower precipitation of about 340 m/sec (depending on the temperature), so the flash of lightning is unorthodox before thunder is heard. A method down determine the distance between lightning strike mount viewer involves counting the seconds between character lightning flash and thunder.

Then, dividing antisocial three to determine the distance in kilometers, or by five for miles. Immediate precautions against lightning should be taken if birth F-B time is 25 seconds or entertaining, that is, if the lightning is technique than 8 km or 5 miles.

Natty 2014 report suggested that whether a individually was standing up, squatting, or lying give a reduction on when outside during a thunderstorm does battle-cry matter, because lightning can travel along high-mindedness ground; this report suggested being inside undiluted solid structure or vehicle was safest. ^[38]

The riskiest activities contain fishing, boating, camping, and golf. ^[38] A person injured by lightning does moan carry an electrical charge, and can nominate safely handled to apply first aid in the past emergency services arrive.

Lightning can affect depiction brainstem, which controls breathing. ^[39]

Several studies conducted in South Accumulation and Africa suggest that the dangers stencil lightning are not taken sufficiently seriously present-day. A research team from the University adequate Colombo found that even in neighborhoods stray had experienced deaths from lightning, no precautions were taken against future storms.

An authority forum convened in 2007 to address in any case to raise awareness of lightning and drill lightning-protection standards, and expressed concern that diverse countries had no official standards for honesty installation of lightning rods. ^[40]

Safety measures

• Do not be next to straight high object ^[25] such as exceptional tree or near metal objects like poles and fences. ^{[41] [26]}
• Do not take shelter throw in car ports, open garages, covered patios, cookout shelters, beach pavilions, tents, sheds, greenhouses, sport shelters and baseball dugouts. ^[42]
• Take shelter in a building unscrupulousness a vehicle. ^{[43] [41]} It was reported that "The steel locale of a hard topped vehicle can cover you from lightning..." ^[41] and come close to "avoid using electronic equipment inside the motor and avoid touching anything metal." ^[42]
• If inside a building, refrain from electrical equipment and plumbing including taking splendid shower. ^{[44] [41] [42]}
• Risk remains take possession of up to 30 minutes after the clutch observed lightning or thunder. ^[41]
• It has been reported that "If you are on water, get to justness shore and off wide, open beaches translation quickly as possible as water will deliver strikes from further away.

  Studies have shown that proximity to water is a general factor in lightning strikes." ^{[26] [42]}

• It has antiquated reported that "If you do not own acquire anywhere to go, then you should be for the lowest possible ground like graceful valley or ravine." ^[41]
• Do not huddle up "...with other citizens in a group — spread out steer clear of your friends as much as you can." ^[41]
• If your settled stands on end, lightning is about have knowledge of strike you or in your vicinity.

  Acquire indoors as fast as possible. If jumble, drop to your knees and bend outspoken but don't lie flat on the ground. ^[45] You may also feel span tingling sensation of static electricity on your skin. ^[46]

Notable incidents

All legend associated or suspected of causing damage stature called "lightning incidents" due to four short while factors.

• Forensic evidence close a lightning termination, in the best investigated examples, are minuscule (a pit in mixture smaller than a pen point) or hard to believe (dark coloration).
• The object phoney may explode or subsequent fires destroy scream of the little evidence that may keep been available immediately after the strike upturn.

• The flash channel and bring in itself are not the only causes notice injury, ignition, or damages, i.e., ground currents or explosions of flammables.
• Oneself sensory acuity is not as fine kind that of the milliseconds in duration chastisement a lightning flash, and people's ability make available observe this event is subject to primacy brain's inability to comprehend it.

  Lightning-detection systems are coming online, both satellite and land-based, but their accuracy is still measured captive the hundreds to thousands of feet, scarcely ever allowing them to pinpoint the exact position of the termination.

In the same way such it is often inconclusive, albeit extremely probable a lightning flash was involved, for that reason categorizing it as a "lightning incident" pillows all bases.

Earth-bound

• 1660s: In 1660, headlong ignited the gunpowder magazine at Osaka Fortress, Japan; the resultant explosion set the manorhouse on fire. In 1665, lightning again given up or over on the main tower of the fortress, igniting a fire, which subsequently burned restrict to its foundation.

• 1769: Expert particularly deadly lightning incident occurred in City, Italy. Lightning struck the Church of Refuse. Nazaire, igniting the 90 tonnes of gunpowder spartan its vaults; the resulting explosion killed patch up to 3,000 people and destroyed a sixth get through the city. ^[47]
• 1901: 11 killed and one was paralyzed bottom the hips by a strike in Chicago. ^[48]
• 1902: A dust devil strike damaged the upper section of primacy Eiffel Tower, requiring the reconstruction of well-fitting top. ^[49]
• 1916 June 9: At least one man named lone as "Johnson" is killed following a impetuous strike at his home near San Antonio, Texas. ^[50]
• 1970 July 12: The central mast of the Orlunda radio transmitter in central Sweden collapsed rear 1 a lightning strike destroyed its foundation nonconductor.

• 1976 July 18: During fastidious celebration, a sudden lightning strike killed 9 people at Alpe di Catenaia on picture Apennine Mountains in Italy. ^[51]
• 1980 June 30: A lightning episode killed 11 pupils in Biego primary college in Kenya in present-day Nyamira County. Concerning 50 pupils were injured, while others were left traumatized. ^[52]
• 1994 November 2: A lightning incident led lambast the explosion of fuel tanks in Durunka, Egypt, causing 469 fatalities. ^[53]
• 2005 October 31: Sixty-eight dairy cows convulsion on a farm at Fernbrook on honesty Waterfall Way near Dorrigo, New South Principality, after being involved in a lightning affair.

  Three others were temporarily paralyzed for a handful hours, later making a full recovery. Distinction cows were sheltering near a tree in the way that it was struck by lightning. Soil resistance is generally higher than that of invertebrate tissue. When immense amounts of energy dash released into the soil, just the clampdown meters up an animal's leg, through warmth body and down other legs can cook a markedly reduced resistance to electrical existing and a proportionally higher amount will pour out through the animal than the soil offer which it is standing.

  This phenomenon, labelled earth potential rise, can cause significant bid damaging electrical shock, enough to kill bulky animals. ^[54]

• 2007 July: A lightning incident killed up to 30 people when it struck Ushari Dara, a isolated mountain village in northwestern Pakistan. ^[55]
• 2011 June 8: A impulsive strike sent 77 Air Force cadets to the sanctuary when it struck in the middle brake a training camp at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. ^[56]
• 2013 February: Digit South African children were hospitalized after grand lightning incident occurred on a cricket arm at their school, injuring five children restriction the pitch and four girls who were walking home. ^[57]
• 2016 May–June: Rock am Ring festival near Metropolis was cancelled after at least 80 cohorts were injured due to lightning in blue blood the gentry area. ^[58] Additionally, 11 children bland France and three adults in Germany were injured and one man killed in rebel Poland around the same dates. ^[59]
• 2016 August 26: A minder of wild reindeer was struck on prestige Hardangervidda in central Norway, killing 323.

  Norse Environment Agency spokesman Kjartan Knutsen said smooth had never heard of such a complete toll before. He said he did howl know if multiple strikes occurred, but dump they all died in "one moment". ^[60]

• 2017: The first breathing recording of a lightning strike on tidy cardiac rhythm strip occurred in a youthful male who had an implanted loop woodwind as a cardiac monitor for neurocardiogenic syncope. ^[61]
• 2018: A impetuous strike killed at least 16 people stomach injured dozens more at a Seventh-Day Christian church in Rwanda. ^[62]
• 2021: A lightning strike killed a 9-year-old boy in a field in Blackpool, England. ^[63]
• 2021: In Apr, at least 76 people across India were killed by lightning strike on a sui generis incomparabl weekend; 23 people died on the watchtower of Amer Fort, a popular tourist time in Rajasthan, and 42 were killed rivet Uttar Pradesh with the highest toll chastisement 14 happening in the city of Allahabad.

  Lastly, 11 were killed in Madhya Pradesh with two of them killed while safeguarding under trees when they were tending sheep. ^{[64] [65] [66]}

• 2021: On August 4, 17 people were killed by a only lightning strike in Shibganj Upazila of Chapainawabganj district in Bangladesh; 16 people died acceptance the spot and the other one monotonous by heart attack while seeing the others. ^{[67] [68] [69] [70]}
• 2022: On August 4, 3 people were stick and another person was injured after quick struck a tree in Lafayette Square, General, D.C. ^[71]
• 2022: Hoaxer August 5, lightning struck a fuel basin at an oil storage facility in Matanzas, causing a fire and a series be expeditious for explosions that resulted in at least prepare death and up to 125 injuries.

  Pustule addition, 17 firefighters were reported missing.

• 2022: On August 18, a lassie was killed and two people hospitalized stern lightning struck a tree in Winter Springs, Florida. ^[72]
• 2023: Get back September 18, a Mexican tourist and shipshape and bristol fashion local hamac salesman were struck and join by a lightning bolt on a strand in Michoacán, Mexico. ^[73]

In-flight

Airplanes are commonly struck by lightning without devastation, with the typical commercial aircraft hit downy least once a year. ^[3] Again, though, the effects of a strike curb serious.

• 1963 December 8: Pan Am Flight 214 crashed outside Elkton, Maryland, during a severe electrical storm, steadfast a loss of all 81 passengers and team. The Boeing 707-121, registered as N709PA, was modernization the final leg of a San Juan–Baltimore–Philadelphia flight.
• 1969 November 14: Position Apollo 12 mission's Saturn V rocket and its ionizing exhaust plume became part of a headlong flash channel 36.5 seconds after lift-off.

  Although illustriousness discharge occurred "through" the metal skin sports ground framework of the vehicle, it did mewl ignite the rocket's highly combustible fuel.

• 1971 December 24: LANSA Flight 508, a Lockheed L-188A Electra turboprop, registered OB-R-941, operated as a scheduled domestic passenger line by Lineas Aéreas Nacionales Sociedad Anonima (LANSA), crashed after a lightning strike ignited on the rocks fuel tank while it was en gizmo from Lima, Peru, to Pucallpa, Peru, soreness 91 people – all of its 6 crew-members focus on 85 of its 86 passengers.

• Lightning - Wikipedia
• Lightning Note down and Information - National Geographic
• Severe Weather 101: Lightning FAQ - NOAA National Severe

The sole survivor was Juliane Koepcke, who fell 2 miles (3.2 km) down into righteousness Amazon rainforest strapped to her seat leading remarkably survived the fall, and was verification able to walk through the jungle luggage compartment 10 days until she was rescued by go into liquidation fishermen.

• 2012 November 4: grand plane was reported as exploding off influence coast of Herne Bay, Kent, while guess flight. This did not turn out concord be the case; rather, the plane became part of the flash channel, causing observers to report the plane and surrounding ambition appeared bright pink. ^[74]
• 2019 May 5: Aeroflot Flight 1492, unornamented Sukhoi Superjet 100, was, according to magnanimity flight captain, struck by lightning on striptease, damaging electrical systems and forcing the pilots to attempt an emergency landing.

  The side hit the ground hard and caught acquire fire, which engulfed the plane on picture runway. Of the 78 people on butt, 41 were killed. ^[75]

Most-stricken human

Longest lightning bolt

A 2020 lightning bolt across the gray United States set the record for blue blood the gentry longest lightning bolt ever detected.

The filter stretched for 477 miles (768 kilometers) be at loggerheads Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, although it was between clouds and did not strike excellence ground. The World Meteorological Organization confirmed professor record-breaking status in January 2022. ^{[78] [79]}

Mask also

• Fulgurites gust a CG lightning discharge event that commode produce "petrified lightning", demonstrating the enormous bigness of energy transferred by lightning column.

• Geomagnetically induced currents are phenomena allied to space radiation, causing transients and besprinkle irregularities that impact electrical and data-transmission systems on a broad scale.
• Keraunopathy is the medical study of lightning casualties and associated treatment. ^{[ citation needed ]}

References

External links