TYPES OF LIGHTNING
There are many different lightning strikes. The electric charge separations and the path that the plasma takes cause these different kinds of strikes.
Some of the different types:
Normal lightning:
Cloud-to-Ground
Ground-to-Cloud
Cloud-to-Cloud
Sheet lightning:
Normal lightning that has been reflected within the clouds.
Heat lightning:
Normal lightning that develops on the horizon and reflected by higher elevation clouds.
Ball lightning:
A small, slow moving ball of lightning that can burn objects in its path before burning out or exploding.
Red Sprite:
A red lightning burst that occurs above storm clouds and are a few miles in length, stretching toward the upper atmosphere.
Blue Jet:
A cone shaped burst that occurs above storm clouds and move at high speeds toward the upper atmosphere. These strikes are said to appear blue in color.
(How Stuff Works: Lightning Strikes)
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