Lightning types

Bead lightning A type of cloud-to-ground lightning where the strike seems to break up into smaller, super-bright sections (the beads), lasting longer than a standard discharge channel. Frequency: Rare Ribbon lightning Only occurring in storms with high cross winds and multiple return strokes, ribbon lightning occurs when each subsequent stroke is blown to the side of the last, causing a visual ribbon effect. Frequency: Quite rare Staccato lightning A heavily branched cloud-to-ground lightning strike with short duration stroke and incredibly bright flash. Frequency: Common Sheet lightning A generic term used to describe types of cloud-to-cloud lightning where the discharge path of the strike is hidden from view, causing a diffuse brightening of the surrounding clouds in a sheet of light. Frequency: Common Megalightning A term commonly used when referring to upperatmospheric types of lightning. These include sprites, blue jets and elves (see ‘Atmospheric…