Thunderstorm refers to those natural phenomena that cause awe, but at the same time fascinate with its beauty. With careful observation, a person may note that lightnings are not always the same color, rather the opposite.
If in one case all lightning strikes appear white, in another they may turn out to be red, or even greenish. What determines their color, and why does it vary? Many inquiring minds sought the answer to this question.
What determines the color of lightning
Normally, that is, without the influence of external factors, lightning would have a bluish-purple glow. It is this shade that the air through which the channel passed, which warmed up to a temperature of 30 thousand degrees, will give it is hotter than the surface of the Sun, and 5 times. But ideal conditions under earthly realities are rare, therefore it is far from always possible to observe the classic shade of celestial electricity.
Typically, various pollutants are contained and circulated in the atmosphere. The smallest dust is almost always - and the pre-thunderstorm wind is able to lift quite large particles into the air.
If the air is dusty, and the rain has not yet managed to nail this dust, the lightnings will appear yellowish or orange.
However, if it has already rained, having knocked all the dust to the ground, this will also change the color of lightning. Refracting water drops, they will have a red tint. Instead of rain, hail can come.In addition, a thunderstorm with lightning can occur with snow - this is extremely rare, but it happens. Ice crystals also create their own optical effects, often much more interesting than in all other cases.
Each lightning in such a situation can have an individual shade, from pink to blue - this will depend on the vagaries of refraction of light, which is completely unpredictable in this situation. It is the "snow" lightning that is the most unpredictable, while hail most often gives flashes a blue color.
Zippers can have a pure white color. This phenomenon occurs at low humidity, indicates its dryness, the absence of rain. Experts consider such lightnings as the most dangerous - getting into the ground, they cause fires, forest fires that are not controlled by natural factors and quickly spread.
Proximity observation
The distance from the observer to the lightning plays a role. Air scatters light waves, doing this with different intensities for different colors. So, at a great distance, the shades of lightning will not be noticeable, it will appear either white or yellowish. It will appear red, bluish, or other when observed from a closer distance.
Interesting fact: determining the distance from a person to lightning is not difficult. Light and sound travel at different speeds. If the flash and the roar occurred almost simultaneously or completely inextricably, the blow occurred nearby. The longer the interval between flash and sound, the farther the lightning struck.
What to do if you are in a thunderstorm?
A lightning strike is a mortal danger to humans. And therefore, if you get into a thunderstorm, it is worth taking precautions that will protect you from the risk of electric shock. So, a thunderstorm cannot be met on a hill; when a thunderstorm approaches, it makes sense to go down to a lowland as soon as possible. In the absence of such an opportunity, it is worth looking for shelter in ravines, any lowering of the relief. In no case should you hide under tall trees, especially detached ones.
According to statistics, lightning most often affects oaks. It is not in vain that the ancient Slavs revered this tree as dedicated to Perun, the god of Thunder. Poplars, especially those standing alone, also have zippers "to their taste." Immediately after them, according to statistics, there are spruces and pines. But hazel and maple are almost never struck by lightning.
Linden and acacia are also practically invulnerable to atmospheric electricity. However, blindly believing such facts is not worth it. It is dangerous to meet a thunderstorm under a tall tree of any breed. Moreover, there are other factors that can attract a lightning strike. This, in particular, a cell phone - even working in normal standby mode. In a thunderstorm, it is better to turn off the phone.
Thus, the color of lightning depends primarily on the atmosphere and its composition, the presence in it of certain suspensions. Dust, raindrops, snow or hail - all this can change the color of lightning. The observer's remoteness plays a role; at a great distance, lightnings appear white or yellowish.At low humidity, lightnings look bright white, and if we exclude the influence of all related factors, they will be bluish-purple. If a thunderstorm begins during a snowfall, you can see a rare phenomenon with lightning of arbitrary colors, at such moments the sky may look like a Christmas garland.
