Can lightning do without thunder?

Thunderstorm is one of the most beautiful weather events on Earth. Lightning cutting the dark sky both fascinates and scares people. We usually find out about approaching thunderstorm not through lightning, but through its indispensable companion – thunder. 

Many wonder if it’s possible that a lightning discharge doesn’t result in the emergence of thunder? 

Let’s get this cleared up. 

Lightning is a huge electrical charge which can take place both inside a cloud, between nearby clouds and between a cloud and Earth. The charge occurs because of the accumulation of static electricity through the rubbing up against each other of water vapor microparticles or ice crystals. 

When positively and negatively charged microparticles located on opposite ends of a cloud get closer together, a discharge happens. 

This event seems routine but it’s really unique. The temperature of a lightning channel exceeds even the temperature of the surface of the sun, and the length of lightning can reach tens and hundreds of kilometers. Colossal energy causes the explosive growth of environment creating a massive shock wave which we call thunder. 

On the basis of the above, it becomes clear that such an event as lightning can’t do without thunder. 

Of course, if thunder is several tens of kilometers away, you will see lightning but won’t hear thunder which will dissipate on the way to us.

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