Lightning FAQ: Sometimes I've seen a bright blue-green glow
coming from the ground right after a lightning strike. What causes this?
By DAN ROBINSON Storm Highway Editor/Cameraman
It is not uncommon for lightning to strike electrical power equipment
(power lines, transformers, etc.). When this happens, many times the
lightning will cause a secondary arc. These arcs are usually referred to
as power flashes.
These power flashes are extremely bright and can easily light up the night
sky.
They can flicker like lightning, or glow for a second or two before the
circuit breakers trip and turn off power to the line (see video clip below).
To see a more detailed description on how lightning causes electrical arcs or flashovers see our article about flashovers.
See Also:
Flashovers and Strikes to Power Lines
A commonly seen, but frequently misidentified phenomenon observed when lightning strikes an energized power line.
