On October 22, 2017, a storm system stretching from Texas to Missouri produced a record-breaking bolt of lightning. Ordinary bolts typically span less than 16 kilometers (10 miles), but this “megaflash” stretched for 829 km (515 mi)! Scientists at Georgia Tech Research Institute recently spotted the superlong streak of lightning after reanalyzing old satellite data. The World Meteorological Organization says it’s the longest continuous lightning bolt on record.
“We don’t actually understand why certain thunderstorms produce flashes of this size and others don’t,” says Michael Peterson, a meteorologist on the team that identified the record-setting bolt. By investigating megaflashes, scientists can learn more about lightning and improve storm warnings.