Strokes of cloud-to-ground lightning strike the Mediterranean Sea off of Port-la-Nouvelle in southern France. Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through …

See lightning strikes in real time across the planet. Free access to maps of former thunderstorms. By Blitzortung.org and contributors.

Dec 11, 2025 · Lightning, the visible discharge of electricity that occurs when a region of a cloud acquires an excess electrical charge, either positive or negative, sufficient to break down the …

What is lightning? Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air, or the ground. In the early stages of development, air acts as an insulator between the positive and …

Jan 6, 2026 · Lightning activity surged to an eight-year high by the end of 2025, with new regional hot spots emerging as the new “lightning capitals.”

Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere or between the atmosphere and the ground.

Lightning is a gigantic electrical discharge. It originates in storm clouds called cumulonimbus, which are very large and heavily laden with water. Inside these clouds, air currents cause water...

Feb 4, 2025 · When the electric field becomes strong enough, the energy is released as a bolt of lightning, travelling between the cloud and the ground or within the cloud itself.

3 days ago · Scientists have known for decades how lightning travels once it forms, but the exact trigger inside a thundercloud stayed uncertain.

Jan 5, 2026 · The Sunshine State, which may be just as well-known for its storm activity, is no longer the lightning capital of the U.S., according to a new report.