The Catatumbo Lightning refers to continuous lightning from a near-daily thunderstorm formed in Catatumbo River region in northern Venezuela, South America. The unique characteristic of this strange phenomenon is that the storms persist in the same place night after night. This region received 158 lightning strikes per sq.km. The scientific explanation is that during the night, a wind configuration called a Low Level Jet (LLJ) often develops and this unstable air is forced upward, triggering strong, large thunderstorm complexes MCS (Mesoscale Convective System) that last through the night-time hours. The LLJ tends to weaken after sunrise. The Catatumbo Lightning, occurring at great distances from the observer, is rarely audible.
The Catatumbo Lightning
