This Horizontal Lightning Strikes Me As Weird

[mahtin]

Can any physicist or other appropriate scientist explain this horizontal lightning?

I always thought it came from on high and struck terrestrial targets - ground?

It was a nice light show, anyway.

[anothertorres]

we're getting this here in Pattaya also. lightning can meet in the middle between 2 clouds, just like it meets from ground to sky. an arc is formed, or that's my best guess at least.

this was horizontal from last year in Bang Lamung:

[sanook2me]

Its scares the pooh out of me on my 23rd floor!

The lighting and thunder claps....

I

[mahtin]

Wow, as I said earlier from the balcony before the scared wife chastised me

[Tywais]

It's called intra-cloud lightning and not that uncommon.

Intra-cloud lightning is the most common type of discharge. Intra_cloud Lightning This occurs between oppositely charged centers within the same cloud. Usually the process takes place within the cloud and looks from the outside of the cloud like a diffuse brightening which flickers. However, the flash may exit the boundary of the cloud and a bright channel, similar to a cloud-to-ground flash, can be visible for many miles.

The ratio of cloud-to-ground and intra-cloud lightning can vary significantly from storm to storm. Storms with the greatest vertical development may produce intra-cloud lightning almost exclusively. Some suggest that the variations are latitude-dependent, with a greater percentage of cloud-to-ground strikes occurring at higher latitudes. Others suggest that cloud-top height is a more important variable than latitude.

Types of storms

[mahtin]

Thanks for that, Tywais et al.

Must have led a sheltered life; now I shall enjoy storms even more

[Tywais]

I meant to post about inter-cloud lightning but found the intra-cloud first.

Lightning discharges may occur between areas of cloud without contacting the ground. When it occurs between two separate clouds it is known as inter-cloud lightning and when it occurs between areas of differing electric potential within a single cloud, it is known as intra-cloud lightning. Intra-cloud lightning is the most frequently occurring type.

Source Wiki

Some nice photos here > Cloud-to-cloud

[mahtin]

I am blown away...

And in the same vein - a dramatic sky over Montenegro in black and white:

[anothertorres]

It's called intra-cloud lightning and not that uncommon.

However, the flash may exit the boundary of the cloud and a bright channel, similar to a cloud-to-ground flash, can be visible for many miles.

note there were 2 sets competing with each other in the picture.

[mahtin]

I'm disappointed that no conspiracy theorists have yet picked up on the Montenegro pic.

Hello, it's on your radar now

[bkkjames]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

[robblok]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

Maybe because you were then young and ignorant

[bkkjames]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

Maybe because you were then young and ignorant

Not bad for you this early in the morning Rob. I would expect a reference to dogs or squats or something mixed in between flashes of wit and lightening. Will lower my expectations next time.

[GarryP]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

Maybe because you were then young and ignorant

Not bad for you this early in the morning Rob. I would expect a reference to dogs or squats or something mixed in between flashes of wit and lightening. Will lower my expectations next time.

Monsieur James,

I also used to call it sheet lightning when you could not actually see the path of the lightning and in fact still do.

According to Wiki "Sheet lightning

Sheet lightning is an informally applied name to cloud-to-cloud lightning that exhibits a diffuse brightening of the surface of a cloud caused by the actual discharge path being hidden.

So who's ignorant now, Rob.

[robblok]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

Maybe because you were then young and ignorant

Not bad for you this early in the morning Rob. I would expect a reference to dogs or squats or something mixed in between flashes of wit and lightening. Will lower my expectations next time.

You should do that, it's not my native language and im not that good in writing down jokes like you. We all have our limitations.

But I am quite sure you will get flashes of white (not wit) if you were ever to do the squat long enough.. and about the dogs.. not sure how to get those in the story.. maybe you should go jogging with dogs chasing you.. you might get flashes of white too.

[bkkjames]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

Maybe because you were then young and ignorant

Not bad for you this early in the morning Rob. I would expect a reference to dogs or squats or something mixed in between flashes of wit and lightening. Will lower my expectations next time.

You should do that, it's not my native language and im not that good in writing down jokes like you. We all have our limitations.

But I am quite sure you will get flashes of white (not wit) if you were ever to do the squat long enough.. and about the dogs.. not sure how to get those in the story.. maybe you should go jogging with dogs chasing you.. you might get flashes of white too.

That's better Rob. Feel free to PM your posts for humor review prior to uploading.

[robblok]

That's better Rob. Feel free to PM your posts for humor review prior to uploading.

Nah that would be overkill.. i rather foul up a few times with a gem now and again then to ask for support. I like to do things my way.

That's what i say to girls too.. my way.. or the highway .. (that is probably why Thailand has so much traffic they don't accept my way)

[tonywebster]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

Maybe because you were then young and ignorant

We classed just a flash as sheet lightning, where you don't actually see the forked lightning, just the bright flash.

[robblok]

Was strange last night - even the storm came in from a different direction than is typical.

Back when I was growing up we used to call it sheet lightening - not sure why.

Maybe because you were then young and ignorant

Not bad for you this early in the morning Rob. I would expect a reference to dogs or squats or something mixed in between flashes of wit and lightening. Will lower my expectations next time.

Monsieur James,

I also used to call it sheet lightning when you could not actually see the path of the lightning and in fact still do.

According to Wiki "Sheet lightning

Sheet lightning is an informally applied name to cloud-to-cloud lightning that exhibits a diffuse brightening of the surface of a cloud caused by the actual discharge path being hidden.

So who's ignorant now, Rob.

Calling something something without knowing what it originates from (or if your right) is what i think is ignorance.. having said that my remark was teasing and not bashing. I did not even check up Google to see if he could be right about it.

I actually like lightning and the fierceness of the weather in Thailand (unless im on my bike like last week and came home as a drowned cat because i thought those last 4km were not so bad).

[GarryP]

My dad called it sheet lightning so I did too. I call a pig a pig, but I don't know why its called a pig. But, anyway, I likewise was just pulling your leg. I am also one of those fools who likes to sit and watch the phenomenal lightning displays we get in Thailand.

[robblok]

My dad called it sheet lightning so I did too. I call a pig a pig, but I don't know why its called a pig. But, anyway, I likewise was just pulling your leg. I am also one of those fools who likes to sit and watch the phenomenal lightning displays we get in Thailand.

I love to watch it.. only my kitchen flooded yesterday an i have no idea where the water came frum (the rain but where it was leaking... no idea). I just came into the kitchen after it was done.