Heat Lightning Storm
The term heat lightning is.
Heat lightning storm. Last night parts of wales and manchester saw brutal lightning storms and the rest of the uk can expect the same until thursday. The weather phenomenon that could be seen on tuesday night is known as heat lightning and came after a day when temperatures hit a high of 31 c in monmouthshire. The term heat lightning is commonly used to describe lightning from a distant thunderstorm just too far away to see the actual cloud to ground flash or to hear the accompanying thunder. Heat lightning also known as silent lightning summer lightning or dry lightning mainly used in the american southwest.
Forked lightning cloud to ground that has branches. Sheet lightning cloud to cloud when the viewer sees brightening of the surface of a cloud not the actual lightning flash. Heat lighting also known as silent or dry lightning usually occurs in the american southwest. So called heat lightning can be seen from a thunderstorm that is up to 100 miles away.
Not to be confused with dry thunderstorms which are also often called dry lightning is a misnomer used for the faint flashes of lightning on the horizon or other clouds from distant thunderstorms that do not appear to have accompanying sounds of thunder. The phenomenon sees cloud to ground lightning that has occurred very far away with thunder.