Most lightning starts inside a thunderstorm and travels through the cloud.
The lightning cloud.
A brief description of lightning follows.
Most lightning occurs within the clouds.
It can then stay within the cloud or continue to travel through the open air and eventually to ground.
Lightning is an electrical discharge caused by imbalances between storm clouds and the ground or within the clouds themselves.
Heat lightning is a lightning flash that appears to produce no discernible thunder because it occurs too far away for the thunder to be heard.
Lightning the visible discharge of electricity that occurs when a region of a cloud acquires an excess electrical charge either positive or negative that is sufficient to break down the resistance of air.
Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds the air or the ground.
Forked lightning is cloud to ground lightning that exhibits branching of its path.
For a longer discussion of lightning within its.
In the early stages of development air acts as an insulator between the positive and negative charges in the cloud and between the cloud and the ground.