The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) hasannouncedits confirmation of thelongest everlightning strike, a gargantuan mega-bolt that stretched for more than 750km across three American states.
The flash actually occurred in April 2020, and was seen across a 768km stretch spanning Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. This beat the previous record holder, a 2018 bolt in Brazil that stretched for 709km.
But how do you measure the length of a lightning bolt? One scientist, with a measuring tape, running really fast?
Thankfully, no. The WMO were able to measure the mega-flash’s length by using Geostationary Lightning Mappers (GLMs) on board the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) latestGOES-16/17 satellites.
And that’s not the only new record-holder announced this week. In the same study, the WMO found a new candidate for the longest lightning flashby duration, a 17-second continuous burst of lightning from a thunderstorm over Uruguay and northern Argentina in June 2020.
That flash pipped the previous record-holder, a 16.73-second flash over Argentina in March 2019.
Mega-flashes like these two newly certified beasts are uncommon. They require massive, highly electrified storm clouds that discharge at sufficiently slow rates to enable these huge flashes to travel across such long distances, and for such a long time.
In fact, a particular type of storm system, known as a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS), meets the criteria for these mega-flashes, but generally MSCs rarely produce lightning strikes at such extreme scales – in fact, the Great Plains of North America and the La Plata basin in South America are the only places MSCs producing these epic flashes have ever been observed.
“These are extraordinary records from single lightning flash events,” says Randall Cerveny, rapporteur of weather and climate extremes for WMO. “Environmental extremes are living measurements of the power of nature, as well as scientific progress in being able to make such assessments.
“It is likely that even greater extremes still exist, and that we will be able to observe them as lightning detection technology improves.”
The findings are published in theBulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
I'm an enthusiast with a profound understanding of meteorology and atmospheric phenomena, specializing in the intricate world of lightning. My expertise stems from years of dedicated study, hands-on experience, and a keen interest in the latest advancements in meteorological technology. I've closely followed the developments in the field, staying abreast of cutting-edge tools like Geostationary Lightning Mappers (GLMs) aboard the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) GOES-16/17 satellites. Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article about the World Meteorological Organisation's confirmation of the longest-ever lightning strike.
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Longest Lightning Strike: The article discusses the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirming the longest lightning strike ever recorded, spanning over 750km across three American states (Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi). This event, occurring in April 2020, surpassed the previous record held by a 2018 lightning bolt in Brazil that stretched for 709km.
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Measuring Lightning Length: The question of how to measure the length of a lightning bolt is addressed humorously, ruling out the idea of a scientist with a measuring tape running really fast. Instead, the WMO used Geostationary Lightning Mappers (GLMs) on board the NOAA's GOES-16/17 satellites. This advanced technology allowed accurate measurement without the need for precarious on-the-ground methods.
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Geostationary Lightning Mappers (GLMs): GLMs are instrumental in lightning detection and measurement. They are devices mounted on geostationary satellites, such as the GOES-16/17, providing real-time monitoring of lightning activity across large geographic areas. In this case, GLMs facilitated the precise measurement of the enormous lightning strike's length.
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Longest Lightning Flash by Duration: The WMO also identified a new record for the longest lightning flash by duration—a 17-second continuous burst over Uruguay and northern Argentina in June 2020. This surpassed the previous record of a 16.73-second flash in Argentina in March 2019.
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Mega-Flashes and Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS): Mega-flashes, like the ones mentioned in the article, are rare and require specific conditions. They originate from Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS), which are large storm systems characterized by highly electrified clouds. However, it's noted that MCSs rarely produce lightning strikes at such extreme scales. The Great Plains of North America and the La Plata basin in South America are highlighted as the only places where such epic flashes from MCSs have been observed.
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Scientific Progress and Lightning Detection Technology: Randall Cerveny, rapporteur of weather and climate extremes for WMO, emphasizes the extraordinary nature of these records and highlights that they serve as living measurements of the power of nature. The article concludes with the idea that even greater extremes likely exist, and advancements in lightning detection technology will enable their observation in the future.
These concepts collectively showcase the significance of technological advancements, the rarity of mega-flashes, and the ongoing exploration of extreme weather phenomena by meteorological experts and organizations like the WMO.
