What type of lightning is least likely

Blue jets and gigantic jets emerge from the top of the thundercloud, but are not directly associated with cloud-to-ground lightning.

They extend up in narrow cones fanning out and disappearing at heights of miles. Gigantic jets go even higher to the ionosphere. Blue jets last a fraction of a second and have been witnessed by pilots. Elves are rapidly expanding disk-shaped regions of glowing that can be up to miles across. They last less than a thousandth of a second, and occur above areas of active cloud to ground lightning. Elves result when an energetic electromagnetic pulse extends up into the ionosphere.

Elves were discovered in by a low-light video camera on the Space Shuttle, and are now known to be associated with terrestrial gamma ray flashes TGFs. TGFs were discovered in the s by satellites designed to detect cosmic gamma rays, but it was found that some signals were coming from thunderstorms on earth!

TGF appear to originate where strong electric fields exist in a deep region to act as a particle accelerator that is seeded by cosmic ray particles. This can also produce beams of relativistic electrons. Normal lightning also produces x-rays that can be detected at the ground. Like many things in life, thunderstorms are not one size fits all.

Sure, we have severe and non-severe storms, but did you know there are actually four different types of storms? In their infancy, most thunderstorms start off as towering cumulus clouds. Moist parcels of air rise, expand, and cool, causing these clouds to grow. This creates what we call an updraft. Often, the white, wispy look of the growing cloud is replaced by a darker shade. This ominous look is water vapor condensing into ice crystals and water droplets that will later fall as rain.

If there's an updraft, then there must be a downdraft, right? Once the ice crystals and water droplets become heavy enough, gravity takes over and the precipitation begins to fall. As it descends, it forces the surrounding air down with it. This creates the downdraft, transporting cooler, humid air to the surface.

A dissipating stage B cumulus stage C mature stage 28 Which of these is important to the formation of lightning in a growing cumulus cloud? A mature stage B cumulus stage C dissipating stage 30 The greatest proportion of thunderstorms occurs in the A subarctic regions B middle latitudes C tropics D polar regions E subtropics 31 What does the term mesocyclone refer to in reference to a tornado?

A a false-alarm tornado warning B the rotation motion of the parent thunderstorm C a high-altitude tornado D a very large tornado E none of the above 32 "Heat lightning": A is actually a display of the northern lights B occurs more than 20 kilometers from the person observing it C is also called "ball lightning" D is brighter than ordinary lightning 33 Why is strong heating of the ground by the sun associated with thunderstorms?

A increases the pressure gradient B increases the wind speed C leads to greater instability D reduces the dew point E reduces the relative humidity 34 What causes the dissipating stage of a thunderstorm? A spreading downdraft cuts off air inflow B loss of radiant energy from cloud top C release of latent heat within the cloud D converging winds aloft E converging surface winds 35 Over the last 20 years, which of these has caused the fewest weather related deaths in the U.

A cumulus B multicell C mature D dissipating 37 Why is very humid air near the surface a necessary ingredient for severe thunderstorms? A more latent heat is then available as energy for the storm B high humidity makes the air more dense C high humidity strengthens the cold front D high humidity makes the rising air cool more rapidly E lapse rates are larger in humid air 38 Why are thunderstorms most likely to occur in the afternoon and early evening?

Short-link Link Embed. Share from cover. Central Africa is the area of the world where lightning strikes most frequently.

Lightning is an electrical discharge caused by imbalances between storm clouds and the ground, or within the clouds themselves. Most lightning occurs within the clouds. Other visible bolts may appear as bead, ribbon, or rocket lightning. During a storm, colliding particles of rain, ice, or snow inside storm clouds increase the imbalance between storm clouds and the ground, and often negatively charge the lower reaches of storm clouds. Objects on the ground, like steeples, trees, and the Earth itself, become positively charged—creating an imbalance that nature seeks to remedy by passing current between the two charges.

This heat causes surrounding air to rapidly expand and vibrate, which creates the pealing thunder we hear a short time after seeing a lightning flash.

Each bolt can contain up to one billion volts of electricity. A typical cloud-to-ground lightning bolt begins when a step-like series of negative charges, called a stepped leader, races downward from the bottom of a storm cloud toward the Earth along a channel at about , mph , kph. Each of these segments is about feet 46 meters long.

When the lowermost step comes within feet 46 meters of a positively charged object, it is met by a climbing surge of positive electricity, called a streamer, which can rise up through a building, a tree, or even a person. When the two connect, an electrical current flows as negative charges fly down the channel towards earth and a visible flash of lightning streaks upward at some ,, mph ,, kph , transferring electricity as lightning in the process.

Some types of lightning, including the most common types, never leave the clouds but travel between differently charged areas within or between clouds. Other rare forms can be sparked by extreme forest fires, volcanic eruptions, and snowstorms. Ball lightning, a small, charged sphere that floats, glows, and bounces along oblivious to the laws of gravity or physics, still puzzles scientists.

About one to 20 cloud-to-ground lightning bolts is "positive lightning," a type that originates in the positively charged tops of stormclouds.