lightning

The main manifestation of the electrical nature of the atmosphere. An electrometeor consisting of an intense electrical discharge, whose origin and destination can be a storm cloud and the Earth's surface (cloud-to-ground lightning), two storm clouds (cloud-to-cloud lightning), the storm cloud and a clear-sky area (cloud-to-air lightning), or two areas within the cumulonimbus (intracloud lightning). Most of the lightning strokes that strike the ground carry negative charges, coming mostly from the lower area of the cumulonimbus, where they tend to accumulate. Lightning, also known as centella or centellón, usually follows a sinuous path through the air, presenting numerous branches, most of which originate from the channel through which the main discharge travels. Lightning travels through the areas where the air is most ionized and where there is less electrical resistance. It carries with it two electrical meteors: the flash (luminous glow) and the thunder (sound). It is common to identify lightning with the flash and consider them synonyms.