Yes, lightning can travel between clouds.
Understanding Cloud-to-Cloud Lightning
Lightning isn't just a phenomenon that happens between the sky and the ground. A significant portion of lightning activity occurs within or between clouds. This is commonly referred to as cloud-to-cloud (CC) lightning.
Here's a breakdown of what cloud-to-cloud lightning entails:
- Definition: Cloud-to-cloud lightning is an electrical discharge that occurs between two or more clouds.
- Mechanism: It happens due to a build-up of electrical charge within different parts of clouds, or in separate clouds. When the potential difference becomes large enough, a discharge occurs, resulting in a lightning flash.
- Visibility: Cloud-to-cloud lightning can manifest in various ways, sometimes as a bright flash that illuminates the sky, or as horizontal streaks of light often seen beneath clouds.
Spider Lightning
One interesting form of cloud-to-cloud lightning is known as spider lightning.
- Description: Spider lightning refers to long, horizontally traveling flashes that are often seen on the underside of stratiform clouds.
- Association: This type of lightning is frequently associated with positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) flashes.
- Appearance: Spider lightning's extended, web-like appearance is what gives it its name, making it a visually striking form of cloud-to-cloud discharge.
Key Points About Cloud-to-Cloud Lightning:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Electrical discharge between two or more clouds. |
| Cause | Build-up of electrical charge between different parts of clouds or separate clouds. |
| Appearance | Bright flashes, horizontal streaks (spider lightning), and various other forms. |
| Relationship with CG lightning | Often associated with +CG flashes (especially spider lightning). |
In conclusion, the reference information clearly confirms that lightning does not only strike the ground but also travels between clouds, including the interesting example of spider lightning.
