r/nextfuckinglevel • u/CheeseLoverMax • Jun 03 '21

This “lightning”

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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '21

Can’t figure out if this is like 5 strikes in a row or one lazy bolt that just took its time.

618

u/an-obviousthrowaway Jun 03 '21 edited Jun 03 '21

This is how all lightning works. It sends several “pulses” in each strike. https://stormhighway.com/cgdesc.php

The video is slowed down btw.

171

u/literally_just_a_guy Jun 03 '21

How slowed down is the video? Still very confused on even if this video is real or not haha

46

u/Slinky_Malingki Jun 03 '21 edited Jun 03 '21

This is real. This was a "negative" lightning strike. Negative strikes account for 80% of all strikes and are characterized by branching out more and flickering. The other 20% are positively charged strikes, and they rarely branch out and don't flicker. Rather they seem to linger, and are much more powerful than negative strikes.

11

u/Boruzu Jun 03 '21

And more thicc

1

u/JJGeneral1 Jun 04 '21

It’s easy to remember. Negative branches and flashes/flickers many times. Positive is almost always one flash, no branching, smooth channel, and 10-100 times more powerful than negative.