Types of Bolts

[Andrew Massie]

I feel the need to share....

http://www.wired.com/special_multimedia ... ening_1706

[NZstorm]

Interesting lightning chart Andrew.

[Dale]

Yes, very.
Again slightly O/T but we have also been having a discussion about Jets & Sprites etc over on Weatherzone.
http://forum.weatherzone.com.au/cgi-bin ... 1;t=007461
If youre interested (and im allowed to paste that forum link in here )

[Manukau heads obs]

check out this bolt,LOL
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2495308 ... lightning/

[KiwiWeather]

What a fascinating chart!

Thank you for sharing. I was particularly amazed by the red sprite and to see that ball lightning actually exists.
I have seen ball lightning, just the once as a child and it is something that I have never forgotten. Perhaps it was the catalyst to why I am fascinated and enraptured with thunderstorms.

It has to be said that I have seen hundreds of gigantic jets, washed up upon Taranaki beaches. Now the teaser for Friday is can anyone guess what I might be talking about?

[Manukau heads obs]

i saw ball lightning as well as a bolt that was horizontal just outside the window of the house (maybe my imagination got the better of me?) when I was a kid too , during a thunderstorm that was really close...I remember the fridge was smoking out the back even....due to a power surge

teaser:do you mean the "blue bottle"?

[Tornado Tim]

My Next door Neighbor had encounter with the rare ball lightning, she said it went through her window and bounced on her kitchen bench.

[Inny Binny]

I'm awfully surprised to find that ball lightning has significant (and quite verifiable) documentation. Thought it didn't exist, huh.

Some seriously awesome looking lightning types there. The jets, sprites and balls particularly so.

[KiwiWeather]

i saw ball lightning as well as a bolt that was horizontal just outside the window of the house (maybe my imagination got the better of me?) when I was a kid too , during a thunderstorm that was really close...I remember the fridge was smoking out the back even....due to a power surge

teaser:do you mean the "blue bottle"?

CONGRATULATIONS!! You got it !!

Well done.

[mikestormchaser]

My Next door Neighbor had encounter with the rare ball lightning, she said it went through her window and bounced on her kitchen bench.

your pulling our legs right tornado tim? because that is outa here!! as in.. " awesome!

[Willoughby]

Nice illustration. Though they missed a couple! Anvil crawlers and ground to cloud lightning.

The bolt from the blue is a bit different to what is depicted on there (that one looks like an anvil crawler)... sure is positively charged originating from the top section of an active Cb and smashing into the ground miles away.

[Nev]

I'm awfully surprised to find that ball lightning has significant (and quite verifiable) documentation. Thought it didn't exist, huh.

Yes, it was actually NZ scientist, John Abrahamson along James Dinniss at Canterbury Uni, that first theorised the mechanism behind ball-lightning back in 2002 and, based on that theory, two Brazilian scientists recreated the phenomenon in the lab a few years later.
(see - 'Ball lightning explained' and 'Lightning balls created in the lab'.)

Australian photographer, Ern Mainka also has a comprehensive collection of info his website.

I know a couple that claim to have been chased by one (not knowing what it was at the time) down an isolated street here on Waiheke one night before it suddenly vanished. I've also heard a report of someone seeing one dancing around granite headstones.

[KiwiWeather]

My Next door Neighbor had encounter with the rare ball lightning, she said it went through her window and bounced on her kitchen bench.

I am pleased you shared this because I saw ball lightning inside the kitchen as well.
Cheers