The World's Largest Lightning Storm
The Venezuelan Thunderstorm That Creates One Million Bolts a Year
Sep 13, 2009
Throughout most of the world, lightning is a rare occurrence. Residents of certain locales can go years and even decades without ever glimpsing a single bolt. However, there is a region in South America where each day the heavens are torn and cleaved by a mighty and interminable display of atmospheric upheaval rarely seen outside of a tropical cyclone. This region hosts the world's greatest natural light show; the Catatumbo Lightning.
Catatumbo Lightning Statistics
For residents of temperate regions accustomed to storms of brief duration and intermittent frequency, the immensity of this phenomenon can be difficult to comprehend. According to the November 26th, 2007 MeteoGroup article 'Fire in the Sky' this single storm, which never changes position, creates over 1,000,000 electrical discharges (bolts) per year. The intensity of the discharges can reach 400,000 amps and the light from the storm is clearly visible 250 miles (400 kilometers) away. It is also the largest natural producer of atmospheric ozone in the world.
The storm is active about 150 days per year,every year. During periods of peak intensity, the storm can last up to ten hours a day and produce 280 electrical discharges per hour. This provides near constant illumination of Lake Maracaibo and the surrounding areas. The phenomenon has also been called the Maracaibo Beacon, as ships have used the storm as a navigational aid for hundreds of years.
The Phenomenon Explained
The phenomenon is created by the unique environment surrounding Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo. As the Catatumbo River flows into the lake, it passes through an expansive bog. As the organic material contained in the bog decays, a constant supply of methane gas is released into the atmosphere. The methane gas, which is lighter than air, is carried high into the atmosphere by the strong winds blowing in from the nearby Andes Mountains.
The towering storm clouds created by this interplay can reach incredible heights of up to 6 miles (10 kilometers). One surprising aspect of the almost continuous lightning bolts is the conspicuous absence of accompanying thunder. This is due to the predominance of cloud-to-cloud lighting within the storm. Few of these bolts ever reach the ground. Also, the great distances from which the storm may be observed can also account for the noticeable absence of audio.
Lightning in History
The Catatumbo Lightning has played a significant role in many of the events that have shaped the history of Venezuela. An article entitled 'Electrical Storm Stymied Sir Francis Drake’s Attack on Maracaibo' in The Latin American Herald Tribune states that in 1595, Sir Francis Drake attempted to capture the city of Maracaibo by launching a clandestine raid across the adjacent lake in the middle of the night. However, the city's defenders were alerted to Drake's machinations when his assault force was illuminated by the ceaseless glow of the lightning and the attack was thwarted.
The Venezuelan government is currently seeking to have the Catatumbo Lightning classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If they are successful, it will be the first meteorological phenomenon to achieve this distinction.
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