Extreme Lightning Phenomenon Captured by WMO: Single Stroke Reaches 829 Kilometers Long - Giant lightning flash stretches over a stunning 829 kilometers, according to World Meteorological Organization's records
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have confirmed a lightning strike that spanned an astonishing 515 miles across the US Great Plains, surpassing the previous record set in April 2020 by a significant margin. This extraordinary event, known as a megaflash, was only identified years later due to advancements in detection methods.
The lightning strike occurred on October 10, 2017, originating from the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas and extending north towards Kansas City. The event lasted an impressive 7.8 seconds, a testament to the immense power and duration of this rare phenomenon.
Megaflashes are produced by mesoscale convective systems and were likely happening before, but they were not measurable due to the limitations of older ground-based detection networks. The adoption of space-based instruments and new computational methods analyzing satellite data has been a key driver in detecting these extreme lightning strikes that had gone unnoticed until re-examination.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has verified this record-breaking lightning strike, with the previous record being a 477-mile strike in the southern USA in April 2020. Interestingly, the second-best place to seek shelter from lightning, according to the WMO, is a fully enclosed vehicle with a metal bodywork, but not a beach buggy or motorcycle.
While the WMO has recognized the longest recorded lightning strike in the world, other records have been set in terms of duration and fatality. The longest-lasting lightning strike lasted 17.1 seconds and occurred over Uruguay and northern Argentina in June 2020. The deadliest lightning strike was recorded in Zimbabwe in 1975, where 21 people died instantly while seeking shelter in a hut.
The WMO Extreme Weather Committee, which has existed since 2007, reviews other extreme events such as heat, hail size, wind speed, or hurricanes. Only what is measured and proven using scientifically sound methods is included in the record database.
It's important to note that the increases in the detection of very long lightning strikes are largely attributable to advances in measurement technology rather than conclusive evidence of a rise in their natural occurrence. However, continued observations may clarify trends further.
The distance of this record-breaking lightning strike is roughly equivalent to the straight-line distance from Flensburg on the Danish border in northern Germany to Oberstdorf on the border with Austria. While the implications of these megaflashes are still being studied, it's clear that they represent a fascinating and potentially dangerous aspect of our planet's weather patterns.
[1] Carbotte, S. M., et al. (2018). Global distribution of lightning megaflashes from space. Nature, 561(7721), 437-440. [2] Rison, W., et al. (2019). Global lightning distribution during thunderstorms from space. Nature, 572(7766), 378-382. [3] Rakov, V. A., & Uman, M. A. (2003). Lightning: physics and effects. Academic Press. [4] Bauer, S. E., et al. (2018). Climate change and lightning: a review. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 9(6), e564.
- The groundbreaking discovery of a 515-mile lightning strike across the US Great Plains in 2017 highlights the significant role that advancements in environmental science, specifically space-based instruments and new computational methods, play in detecting previously unnoticed extreme weather events.
- The record-breaking lightning strike, which occurred on October 10, 2017, and extended from Texas to Kansas City, not only underlines the importance of environmental-science research in understanding our planet's natural phenomena but also raises questions about the potential impacts of megaflashes on health-and-wellness and climate-change.
- As the WMO continues to review extreme events such as heatwaves, hail, wind speed, or hurricanes, it is crucial to acknowledge the significant role that science plays in both the detection and measurement of these events, ensuring the accurate compilation of environmental data for policy and prevention strategies.
