Last summer, my wife and I witnessed unusual lightning during a midwest thunderstorm. It was gold in color compared to the normal white/blue light we'd expect to see. It was also extremely slow in how it struck. We could actually witness it start from the ground (or close to the ground) and culminate in the clouds -- much slower in its development than a normal lightning bolt. The path wasn't very straight, either. However, it was almost smooth in the various twists and turns, rather than jagged.
There was a significant amount in close area and short amount of time. We must have seen a dozen strikes in a very short time, all with these attributes.
I've searched, and can't find anything close to what we saw.
Any ideas? Thanks!
2007-01-04 15:51:57 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
A good idea would be to contact the meteorology team at a local TV station. Many have some sort of "ask the meteorologist" online, and some questions make it on the air during a weekly segment, like my FOX station does.
I have seen some odd colored lightning myself and have found very little information on the internet. I have seen green colored lightning, and only one site have I found helpful information. The best idea would be to contact a meteorologist with your weather question.
2007-01-04 17:34:41 · answer #1 · answered by Aspasia 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not educated in this field, so this is just a guestimate.
Perhaps the lightning you witnessed was due to a conductor. That is, something was attracting the lightning or rather, causing it to slow and follow it's path in the area you witnessed. Maybe if you go back to the area and examine it, there may be lightning rods or something of that nature.
2007-01-05 00:03:53 · answer #2 · answered by soozemusic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Sooze. I live in missouri and we do get lots of lightening storms. Its fun to just watch them from the sliding door. But a lot of the times the lightening hits a transformer. And that blows up causing more like blue sky effects. So the lightening could have hit something to make it do that. Ive seen quite a few transformers blow up during them. Even in the ice storms. :)
2007-01-05 05:33:56 · answer #3 · answered by Mirage 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont really know what caused that lightning, but it could've been an irregually hot or cold lightning strike and there was probaly a condutor or lightning rod. i would check with your local tv meteorologist
2007-01-07 18:51:42 · answer #4 · answered by beautiful blonde♥ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have NO idea what it is! But it sounds so cool!!! Where exactly in the midwest were u? Desert? Sometimes environmental situations cause mother nature to do wierd things too :P
2007-01-05 00:00:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.centennialofflight.gov/2003FF/lightning/types.html
You are correct that information on lightening is rather scarce.
There aren't even that many on the Yahoo image search. This site is just as good as any:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning
2007-01-05 00:13:48 · answer #6 · answered by Susan M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you ask your local forecasters on TV about it?
2007-01-05 00:00:14 · answer #7 · answered by ~~Fast Eddie~~ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋