What is heat lightning? Here's what causes the phenomenon.
The National Weather Service office in Des Moines warned that Monday will be an excessively hot day, with some active severe weather. Does this mean we'll see heat lightning?
What is heat lightning?
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, the NWS said.
What causes heat lightning?
Many people incorrectly think that heat lightning is a specific type of lightning, NWS said, but it is simply light produced by a distant storm.
Usually, mountains, hills, trees or the curvature of the Earth prevent the observer from seeing an actual lightning flash. Instead, during heat lightning, the faint flash seen by the observer is light being reflected off higher-level clouds.
More: There's a reason the sky is yellow, green during a storm. But it's not promising a tornado
Will Iowa see any heat lightning?
Lightning is likely with storms in Iowa and neighboring areas on Monday. While heat lightning is possible, it isn't because it'll be hot outside. The NWS debunked the myth and said it can strike at any time of the year, so long as the right conditions are in place.
The lightning hazard will increase as you move toward the storm and eventually, the thunder will also be heard, NWS said. The sound of thunder can typically travel around 10 miles.
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What is heat lightning? Here's what causes the phenomenon.
