Louisiana Meteorologist Dispels Heat Lightning Theory

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - Growing up, your parents probably told you that the lightning you'd see in the distance on a warm summer night was "heat lightning," and you believed them.

A meteorologist in Louisiana has finally addressed heat lightning in a social media post, and it appears that our parents may not have been telling us the truth about the lightning we see at night.

I recall my parents telling me as a kid that much of the lightning I saw at night was just heat lightning, and I believe they said to me that so I wouldn't be scared at night. Yes, I was somewhat fearful of bad weather as a kid, and maybe this was just a way for my parents to calm me.

When I was in junior high school, I recall TV 10 Meteorologist Dick Faurot coming to our school to talk about the weather. During the question-and-answer session, I asked what heat lightning was, and he replied, 'There's no such thing as heat lightning.'

Well, fast-forward a few years, and another meteorologist has addressed the theory of heat lightning, this time by Zack Fradella.

In a recent social media post, Zack notes that there's no such thing as heat lightning, and what you're seeing at night is actual lightning. While you may not hear thunder when you see the lightning, it's because the storm that is producing the lightning is far away.

So, if your parents ever told you that the lightning you were seeing at night was just lightning, they weren't being truthful, and if you're telling your kids these days that they're seeing heat lightning at night — well, you know the rest.

What is Lightning

Lightning is caused by the buildup and discharge of electrical energy in the atmosphere. This happens when positive and negative charges separate within a thunderstorm cloud and between the cloud and the ground, eventually overcoming the insulating properties of the air.

Remember, if you hear thunder, a storm is nearby and lightning is being produced. Seek shelter if you are outdoors.

Here's Zack Fradella's post on social media addressing the myth of "Heat Lightning."

Here's another quick tutorial on lightning, and yes, it can be deadly. Never let anyone tell you that a storm that is producing lightning isn't dangerous; it is.