Why is there so much lightning in Catatumbo?
Why is there so much lightning in Catatumbo?
Catatumbo lightning usually develops between 8°30′N 71°0′W and 9°45′N 73°0′W. The storms are thought to be the result of winds blowing across Lake Maracaibo and the surrounding swampy plains. The phenomenon is characterized by almost continuous lightning, mostly within the clouds.
How much lightning does Lake Maracaibo get?
Lake Maracaibo: The world’s top lightning hotspot is over Lake Maracaibo in northwestern Venezuela. Here, nocturnal thunderstorms occur on average about 297 days per year and produce an average of about 232 lightning flashes / square kilometer / year.
Why does Lake Maracaibo have so many lightning strikes?
NASA says Lake Maracaibo has a unique geography and climate ideal for the development of thunderstorms. Located along part of the Andes mountains, storms form at night as the cool mountain breeze clashes with the warm, moist air over the lake.
How does Catatumbo Lightning form?
When water droplets of humid air collide with ice crystals from the cold air, it produces static charges that build up. The release discharges a zigzag of electrical energy strong enough to light 100 million bulbs. Ten minutes of Catatumbo Lightning could illuminate all of South America.
What is continuous lightning called?
Because of the heat they generate, flashes with continuing current are sometimes referred to as hot lightning while flashes containing only return strokes are referred to as “cold lightning.”
Where can I see Catatumbo Lightning?
Description: In the south of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela has a unique natural phenomenon in the world: The Catatumbo Lightning.
Where does the Catatumbo Lightning phenomenon occur?
Venezuela
Catatumbo lightning is an atmospheric phenomenon in Venezuela. It occurs only over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo.
What causes the beacon of Maracaibo?
Why is there constant lightning but no thunder?
If you see lightning but don’t hear thunder, it is because the thunder is too far away. What we see as a lightning strike actually comes from the ground up, according to NOAA. Typically, a cloud-to-ground flash lowers a path of (invisible) negative electricity towards the ground.
What is Relámpago del Catatumbo?
Catatumbo lightning ( Spanish: Relámpago del Catatumbo) is an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.
Where does Catatumbo lightning occur in Venezuela?
Catatumbo lightning (Spanish: Relámpago del Catatumbo) is an atmospheric phenomenon in the country of Venezuela. It occurs only over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo.
Why is Lake Maracaibo famous for lightning?
Lake Maracaibo has a reputation for its lightning that dates back before the start of written history. Local people call this phenomenon “Relámpago del Catatumbo” (Catatumbo lightning). It is named after the Catatumbo River, which enters Lake Maracaibo on its southern shore. The lightning is centered above the mouth of the river.
What is the location and mechanism of a Catatumbo storm?
Location and mechanism. Catatumbo lightning usually develops between the coordinates 8°30′N 71°0′W and 9°45′N 73°0′W. The storms (and associated lightning) are likely the result of the winds blowing across the Maracaibo Lake and surrounding swampy plains. These air masses inevitably meet the high mountain ridges of the Andes,…
