Lightning is the most dangerous and most beautiful part of a thunderstorm. During a thunderstorm, conditions are very turbulent causing electric charges to separate so that most of the negative charges are at the base of the cloud, leaving positive charges on the ground. Since opposite charges attract the positive charges on the ground make their way up towards the negative charges in the cloud. The invisible stroke that is created is called a stepped leader. As soon as the negative and positive parts of the stepped leader connect there is a conductive path from the cloud to the ground and the negative charges rush down it causing the visible stroke. http://www.mos.org/sln/toe/lightning.html
      Facts: http://aws.com/lghtning.html

• One bolt of lightning is hotter than the face of the sun  (50,000 degrees Fahrenheit). The sun is only 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The average stroke of lightning is six miles long
• On average, thunder can only be heard over a distance of 3-4 miles, depending on humidity, terrain, and other factors.

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