Record-breaking megaflash lightning documented in North and South America

[Randy Jennings]

(CNN 1/31/22 )Two new world records for megaflashes of lightning have been recorded by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), including one for longest distance of a singular flash in North America and one for longest duration in South America.
"A mega-flash is a really, really big lightning flash," Randall Cerveny, a rapporteur of Weather and Climate Extremes for WMO told CNN. "Most lightning flashes in storms travel only a few miles or so. A megaflash can extend for hundreds of miles!" The official definition of a megaflash is any horizontal lightning bolt which travels more than 62 miles (100 kilometers.) The new record flash went far beyond the definition. The new record for longest single flash covered a horizontal distance of approximately 477 miles (768 kilometers) from Texas to Louisiana April 29, 2020. The impressive distance is comparable to the stretch between New York City and Columbus Ohio, said Cerveny. It bypassed the previous record by 60 kilometers.

Full story: Record-breaking megaflash lightning documented in North and South America - CNN

 

[Warren Faidley]

It will interesting to read the actual report. I'm not sure the word "lighting flash" is accurate. Do they mean the storm discharged in one location and the "flash" was seen 477 miles away? Or, did the actual bolt travel some 477 miles? I seriously doubt the upward and downward leaders would meet that far away. In addition, who actually confirms the "flash" when it occurs?

 

[rdale]

It’s accurate. It means that the lightning flash started in one spot and finished 477 Miles away. The curvature of the Earth along with atmospheric haze would probably prevent one person from seeing a flash half the country away

The GOES lightning observer is what confirms the flash.

 

[Bob Schafer]

I was driving across Kansas on I-70 one evening in 1984. Off to my north there was frequent lightning for hours of my drive. There was one horizontal bolt that went from as far east and west as I could see. I have told people ever since then that that bolt had to be at least 80 miles long. That was many years before I started chasing.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

A 'bolt from out of the blue' was coined many decades ago. It was so used to describe a lightning strike of exceptional strength from a cloudless sky. A rarity. Qualifies as 'freak'. IIRC, there were some verified deaths; but very few. Rates right up there with ball lightning. But the whole concept really defies how lightning works. A buildup of opposite charges separated by insulation layer and is triggered when the insulation layer is momentarily weakened. The ground force has already pooled (capacitive) and is attracted by the opposite charge. Surely there are many of here on this forum who found themselves in a ground field when all of their hair suddenly stood up and knew the strike was about to happen. It doesn't take very long to discharge in a strike. Surely not waiting for the bus to Kansas.

Just how are they going to verify such a fantastic claim? The media; or qualified professionals? Be a fair question to ask some top meteorologists at the NWS who would sign off on that one. Don't see how they could be geared up to verify such a claim or any such exceptional event as this. Not surprised that CNN would run a story like that - at all. Skeptical - yes.
Maybe that storm used an internet service?
Sorry; just couldn't resist that last one . . .

 

[Warren Faidley]

Not a physics expert, but my understanding of lightning discharges requires both an stepped and upward leader to "meet" for the transfer of energy. I would really like to see an explanation of how the negative charge at the bottom of the cloud is able to generate an upward leader that far away. I've seen a lot of lightning over the last 30+ years of pursuing it and have never seen a bolt travel more than maybe 20 linear miles max away from the parent storm. Maybe it's "spooky action at a distance."

 

[rdale]

A 'bolt from out of the blue' was coined many decades ago. It was so used to describe a lightning strike of exceptional strength from a cloudless sky. A rarity. Qualifies as 'freak'. IIRC, there were some verified deaths; but very few. Rates right up there with ball lightning.

Actually no - ball lightning is not scientifically valid. But "bolts from the blue" are not actually coming from the blue sky overhead. They are coming from a distant storm, so while there may be no cloud over the spot hit by lightning (hence the name) it's still just "regular" lightning but a far distance frrom the storm.

Just how are they going to verify such a fantastic claim? The media; or qualified professionals?

It was verified by the WMO. That's the World Meteorological Organization and the decider of all global weather records.

Don't see how they could be geared up to verify such a claim or any such exceptional event as this.

That's literally what the instrument was developed to detect.

Not surprised that CNN would run a story like that - at all.

I'm not surprised either. Leave it to Fox News to run hard hitting stories like the groundhog's forecast while CNN does legitimate news

WMO certifies two megaflash lightning records

Geneva, 1st February 2022 (WMO) - The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has established two new world records for megaflashes of lightning in notorious hotspots in North and South America.

public.wmo.int

 

[rdale]

Here's a great storyboard...

Longest Lightning Flash Ever?

World record flash covered a horizontal distance of 768 km (477.2 miles) on 29 April 2020

storymaps.arcgis.com

 

[Jeff Wright]

An upward superbolt

Giant Reverse Lightning Shoots Into Space - Videos from The Weather Channel

If you’ve ever sat back and watched a thunderstorm, you know how mesmerizing a lightning display can be. Now imagine a giant, reverse version of that striking 50 miles up toward space. - Videos from The Weather Channel | weather.com

weather.com