15 Types of Blue Lightning vs. Regular Lightning: Latest Scientific Discoveries

13. Blue Staccatos: Rhythmic Pulses of Light

A remarkable form of blue lightning, blue staccatos are defined by fast, repeated blue light pulses emerging from the tops of thunderclouds. Blue staccatos can last many seconds, unlike ordinary lightning, which usually consists of a single flash or a sequence of closely spaced return strokes, therefore producing a strobe-like effect in the upper atmosphere. Recent high-speed video research has shown that blue staccatos are made of several, separate discharges happening quickly one after another. Though the event can comprise hundreds of separate flashes, each pulse lasts just a few microseconds. Blue staccatos, according to scientists, might be very important for the charge balance of thunderstorms since they aid to transfer electrical energy inside the cloud and maybe affect the formation of other kinds of lightning. This finding has significant ramifications for our knowledge of storm electrification mechanisms and could provide better means of forecasting major storms.