Overview
- Lightning forms when towering cumulonimbus clouds separate charges via ice crystals and water droplets, triggering intra-cloud or cloud-to-ground discharges
- Nowcast recorded over 1.5 million flashes of at least 5 kiloamperes in Germany last year, with around 210 000 strikes reaching the ground
- Air heated to roughly 30 000 °C in a lightning channel expands explosively, creating shockwaves that manifest as thunder
- Petrichor— the earthy scent after a drought—occurs when rain impacts soil releasing oils excreted by plants into the air
- The Deutscher Wetterdienst advises seeking sturdy buildings or vehicles during thunderstorms and avoiding isolated trees, metal structures and open water