New WMO certified megaflash lightning extremes for flash distance (709 km) and duration (16.73 seconds) recorded from space
Identification and validation of atmospheric extremes is essential to monitoring climate change, to addressing engineering and safety concerns, and to promoting technological advancement.
An international World Meteorological Organization evaluation committee has critically adjudicated and recommended acceptance of two lightning megaflash events (horizontal mesoscale lightning discharges of 100s km in length) as new global extremes using analysis of Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) data.