Ask A Scientist General Science Archive

Question:  Does lightning go from the earth to the sky or the other
way around?
 bryan k grube

Answer:
Lightning is actually a fairly complicated process.
First, a faint leader moves from the cloud toward
the ground.  When the leader is about 60 to 90
feet above the ground, a bright lightning bolt strikes
from the ground up to the leader and follows the
leader's path back up to the cloud.  This process
is repeated several times in a fraction of a second.
To our eyes it looks like one bright flash.  For
more information, see the book "Its Raining Frogs
and Fishes".  I can't remember the author's name,
but you can probably find it in a local bookstore.
 grant l