By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
Rockford teen Emma Reed was on the way home from self-defense class Monday evening, March 4, when a lightning storm lit up the sky out the car window.
Grabbing a phone, Reed proceeded to take video and pictures of the storm as her mother sought routes that would give her a clear shot of the lightning.
“It was so cool,” Reed told WKTV. “You could see the actual bolts of lightning.”
An electric phenomena
Considered dry lightning (lightning that occurs without rain nearby), the electric display was a prelude to rain that would make an appearance during the Monday night and Tuesday morning hours.
Lightning is defined as an electrical discharge caused by imbalances within clouds, or between storm clouds and the ground. It is considered one of the oldest observed natural phenomena on earth.
In addition to being visible during thunderstorms, it can also be seen in volcanic eruptions, extremely intense forest fires, surface nuclear detonations, heavy snowstorms and large hurricanes.
Learn more about lightning
Learn more about the phenomena of lightning on the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory website.
