Incredible 829-kilometer-long lightning bolt from Texas to Missouri sets a new record.
In the vast expanse of the Earth's thunderclouds, some extraordinary events take place that defy conventional understanding of lightning. These events, known as megaflashes, have been capturing the attention of scientists and the general public alike.
On October 22, 2017, a megaflash lightning bolt set a new record for the longest lightning flash ever recorded. This colossal bolt traveled an astounding 829 kilometers (515 miles) from east Texas to Missouri, surpassing previous records. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed this event, making it the longest lightning flash on record, surpassing a previous record of 768 kilometers (477 miles) from April 2020.
The Texas-to-Missouri bolt, confirmed as a single connected flash, was reconstructed in three dimensions using satellite data. Before the launch of the GOES-16 satellite in 2016, researchers struggled to capture the full scale of long, complex flashes due to limitations in ground-based radio sensors. The GOES satellites, equipped with high-resolution sensors capable of detecting and tracking millions of lightning bolts per day from orbit, have been instrumental in capturing and tracking these rare phenomena.
Megaflashes are part of a class of rare atmospheric phenomena that extend more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) through thunderclouds. Unlike classic forked bolts, megaflashes are longer and wider, often traveling across entire states without touching the ground. These extraordinary events are more likely to occur over the Great Plains due to the frequent development of powerful thunderstorm systems called mesoscale convective systems in this region.
Randy Cerveny, a geographical scientist at Arizona State University, explains that scientists are still figuring out the mechanics of how and why megaflashes occur. He notes that even greater extremes may still exist. Megaflashes require electrical charges to separate continuously for many miles without recombining prematurely. This steady charge separation sustains the horizontal expansion of the lightning channel.
Collision of atmospheric particles in thunderstorms, the presence of stratiform clouds, formation within powerful thunderstorms such as supercells, strong electric fields and lightning initiation mechanisms, and mesoscale convective systems all contribute to the formation of megaflash lightning.
Megaflashes influence various aspects of our environment, from forest fires to atmospheric chemistry. Some theories even suggest that they may have played a role in the origins of life on Earth. During a lightning storm, the safest places to take shelter are in substantial buildings with wiring and plumbing, or in fully enclosed metal-topped vehicles.
As our understanding of megaflashes grows, so too does the anticipation of discovering even longer and more extreme lightning events. With improving satellite coverage and data-processing techniques, scientists are optimistic about uncovering the secrets of these awe-inspiring phenomena.
- Randy Cerveny, a geographical scientist at Arizona State University, suggests that there might be greater extremes of megaflashes yet to be discovered, as scientists are still figuring out the mechanics of how and why they occur.
- Megaflashes, part of a class of rare atmospheric phenomena, are more likely to occur over the Great Plains due to the frequent development of powerful thunderstorm systems called mesoscale convective systems in this region.
- Megaflashes influence various aspects of our environment, from forest fires to atmospheric chemistry, and some theories even suggest that they may have played a role in the origins of life on Earth.
- The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that a megaflash lightning bolt, traveling an astounding 829 kilometers (515 miles) from east Texas to Missouri, set a new record for the longest lightning flash ever recorded, surpassing a previous record of 768 kilometers (477 miles) from April 2020.
- The GOES satellites, equipped with high-resolution sensors capable of detecting and tracking millions of lightning bolts per day from orbit, have been instrumental in capturing and tracking these rare phenomena, such as megaflashes.
