Lightning in An Ocean Bottle

Rare photo of the moment lightning strikes the ocean
  • Lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from the center of a thunderstorm, meaning boats can be hit even when the sky above looks clear.
  • The average lightning bolt over water contains up to 1 billion volts of electricity, enough to power a household for several months.
  • Fish deaths from lightning strikes are rare, as the electrical charge dissipates quickly in water and doesn’t penetrate deeply.
  • “St. Elmo’s Fire” is a weather phenomenon sometimes observed by sailors, where glowing plasma forms on ship masts during electrical storms.
  • Lightning strikes over oceans play a crucial role in the nitrogen cycle by converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds that can be used by marine organisms.
  • The Catatumbo lightning in Venezuela, occurring over Lake Maracaibo, is the world’s largest single generator of tropospheric ozone. It produces lightning up to 280 times per hour, 160 nights per year.
  • Ocean lightning tends to occur more frequently at night due to the greater temperature difference between the warm water surface and cooler air above.