Heat Lightning

weather · lightning · storms

Not really heat. Heat lightning isn't caused by heat at all, even though its name suggests it is. It's just regular lightning happening far away during thunderstorms beyond the horizon or in distant clouds.

Silent light show. You see the lightning flash but hear no thunder because the storm is too far away. Sound from thunder travels much slower than light, so if you're far enough away, the thunder never reaches you.

Horizon glow. Heat lightning often appears on the horizon as a faint flickering or glowing, which is why it looks so different from nearby lightning. The distance makes it seem softer and quieter than a thunderstorm right above you.

Summer nights. People notice heat lightning most on warm summer evenings when they're outside relaxing. The faint glow across the sky can seem mysterious, but it's just a distant storm showing off its lightning far away.