WMO World Record Lightning Extremes: Longest Reported Flash Distance and Longest Reported Flash Duration

Abstract

A World Meteorological Organization weather and climate extremes committee has judged that the world’s longest reported distance for a single lightning flash occurred with a horizontal distance of 321 km (199.5 mi) over Oklahoma in 2007, while the world’s longest reported duration for a single lightning flash is an event that lasted continuously for 7.74 s over southern France in 2012. In addition, the committee has unanimously recommended amendment of the AMS Glossary of Meteorology definition of lightning discharge as a “series of electrical processes taking place within 1 s” by removing the phrase “within 1 s” and replacing it with “continuously.” Validation of these new world extremes 1) demonstrates the recent and ongoing dramatic augmentations and improvements to regional lightning detection and measurement networks, 2) provides reinforcement regarding the dangers of lightning, and 3) provides new information for lightning engineering concerns.

Spatio-temporal dimension of lightning flashes based on three-dimensional Lightning Mapping Array

“…Even if there is reliable evidence of durations exceeding 1 s (e.g. Lang et al, 2016;Bruning and MacGorman, 2013;Bruning and Thomas, 2015;Montanyà et al, 2014b), the present results suggest to keep 1 s as the time period as the maximum time period, as almost 95% of the analysed sample is below 1 s.…”

“…The World Meteorological Organization has recently published an update on the world's record of the longest detected distance for a single lightning flash and the longest detected duration for a single lightning flash (Lang et al, 2016). Two majestic lightning flashes are presented, one with an extension of 321 km and the second with duration of 7.74 s.…”

Lightning Decision Support Using VHF Total Lightning Mapping and NLDN Cloud-to-Ground Data in North Alabama

“…Spatial extent of lightning flashes is important for lightning safety decision support because some flashes can travel tens to hundreds of km (Kuhlman et al 2009, Weiss et al 2012, Lang et al 2016 or can come to ground outside of precipitation structures observed on radar (i.e., bolts from the blue, Tran et al 2014). Figure 1 illustrates an example of how total lightning observations from the North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (NALMA; Rison et al 1999;Koshak et al 2004) has aided decision support for the National Weather Service (NWS) Huntsville.…”

“…1. These situations primarily develop when large electrified stratiform regions behind mesoscale convective systems (e.g., Carey et al 2005, Makowski et al 2013, Lang et al 2016 or electrified forward anvils of supercell storms (e.g., Fig. 5, Kuhlman et al 2009, Weiss et al 2012) are observed over MSFC.…”

“…5, Kuhlman et al 2009, Weiss et al 2012) are observed over MSFC. Extensive flashes in these types of convection can travel 100s of km (e.g., Lang et al 2016) and may not produce CG lightning flashes. Other notable examples during this analysis period is during an electrified snow event on 10 January 2011 (Fig.…”