Lightning Streak: Longest Recorded Lightning Discharge Spanned from Eastern Texas to Kansas City Region in October 2017
In a recent development, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has validated a world record for the longest continuous lightning discharge. The record-breaking event occurred on October 20, 2017, during a large storm complex in the United States, stretching from eastern Texas to the vicinity of Kansas City. The lightning measured an astounding 829 km in length, surpassing the previous record by 61 km.
This remarkable discharge was not initially detected during the original analysis of the storm but was uncovered upon reviewing data related to the episode. The discovery was made by Andrew K. Baker, who is associated with the WMO.
The longest continuous discharge of lightning ever recorded, which lasted 17.102 ± 0.002 seconds, occurred during a storm that formed over Uruguay and northern Argentina on June 18, 2020. This event was confirmed by Baker.
Walt Lyons, an expert in lightning and a member of the WMO committee on extreme meteorological and climatic phenomena, stresses the importance of being attentive during electrical storms. He states that only solid buildings with electrical wiring and plumbing are safe during such events. The interior of vehicles with a completely closed metal roof is also safe, but motorcycles are not.
Climate change is exacerbating storms, making them more severe and prolonged. This underscores the need to understand what lightning is, how it forms, and how to protect against it. The record highlights important issues for public safety regarding electrified clouds, as discharges can travel enormous distances and have serious implications for the aviation sector and can cause forest fires.
If reliable data indicates the presence of lightning within a 10 km radius, shelter should be sought in a building or vehicle that provides protection. Structures like those on the beach or bus stops are not safe during electrical storms.
The WMO's secretary-general has stated that lightning is a great danger and one of the priorities of the international initiative Early Warnings for All. Walt Lyons emphasizes that these phenomena deserve our attention despite their destructive power and ability to both captivate and frighten us.
The most direct impact of lightning occurred in 1975, in Zimbabwe, where 21 people died when a lightning strike hit them while they were sheltering in a hut. The largest indirect impact of lightning occurred in 1994, in Dronka, Egypt, where 469 people died when a lightning strike hit some petroleum deposits and caused the burning liquid to flood the city.
These events serve as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and preparedness during electrical storms. As we continue to grapple with the effects of climate change, understanding and protecting against these powerful natural phenomena will become increasingly crucial.
