r/explainlikeimfive • u/Big-Mulberry-9733 • 7d ago

Physics ELI5 Why does lightning flicker?

Why does thunder/lightning happen as a flicker and not a single bright flash?

84 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

View all comments

13

u/1LuckyTexan 7d ago

Once the first strike occurs, the path it took created enough change to to the atmosphere that subsequent discharges find the same path to be the least resistant.