Forked lightning:
Forked lightning is lightning in which visible branches are present.
Streak lightning:
Streak lightning is a bolt that appears to be a single arc shaped
line.
Ribbon lightning:
Ribbon lighning is viewed as parallel streaks of light. It is caused when winds
separate the strokes of the bolt.
Chain lightning:
Chain lightning (also called Bead lightning) is characterized by a bolt that breaks
into dotted lines as it fades.
Ball lightning:
Ball lightning appearance is that of a fiery glowing ball (usually in red, yellow,
or orange) which floats several feet above the ground. It can be as big as a
grapefruit in size. It has also been reported to have been floating within
houses and barns. It is unknown why ball lightning occurs and what it is made
of.
Red sprites:
Red sprites are characterized as a dim, reddish-colour burst. They only last for a
couple thousandths of a second and can be numerous kilometres wide. They appear
suddenly, most likely more than one at a time, and rise up to 90 kilometres
above the cloud layer.
Blue jets:
Blue jets are cone-shaped bursts that spring forth from the centre of a thunderstorm
at speeds up to six thousand kilometres per hour. They rise up to 50 kilometres
above the cloud tops and are brighter than red
sprites.
Elves:
Elves are bursts of light shaped like a doughnut or saucer. They are about four
hundred kilometres wide and occur one hundred kilometres above the cloud tops.
They last for less than one thousandth of a second and are theorized to be green
in colour.
Forked lightning is lightning in which visible branches are present.
Streak lightning:
Streak lightning is a bolt that appears to be a single arc shaped
line.
Ribbon lightning:
Ribbon lighning is viewed as parallel streaks of light. It is caused when winds
separate the strokes of the bolt.
Chain lightning:
Chain lightning (also called Bead lightning) is characterized by a bolt that breaks
into dotted lines as it fades.
Ball lightning:
Ball lightning appearance is that of a fiery glowing ball (usually in red, yellow,
or orange) which floats several feet above the ground. It can be as big as a
grapefruit in size. It has also been reported to have been floating within
houses and barns. It is unknown why ball lightning occurs and what it is made
of.
Red sprites:
Red sprites are characterized as a dim, reddish-colour burst. They only last for a
couple thousandths of a second and can be numerous kilometres wide. They appear
suddenly, most likely more than one at a time, and rise up to 90 kilometres
above the cloud layer.
Blue jets:
Blue jets are cone-shaped bursts that spring forth from the centre of a thunderstorm
at speeds up to six thousand kilometres per hour. They rise up to 50 kilometres
above the cloud tops and are brighter than red
sprites.
Elves:
Elves are bursts of light shaped like a doughnut or saucer. They are about four
hundred kilometres wide and occur one hundred kilometres above the cloud tops.
They last for less than one thousandth of a second and are theorized to be green
in colour.