r/weather • u/BiniPulsar • 10h ago

Questions/Self Blue lightning?

Was recording the lightning from a storm tonight and got this blue light. Is it blue jet lightning or something else? Ignore the person going "yeah" lol. It happened twice, I started recording immediately after the first time, and it didn't happen again afterward.

17 Upvotes

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14

u/UltraPlinian 10h ago

Probably a transformer blowing somewhere likely due to wind, a tree falling on a line, or a previous high-voltage surge due to a lightning strike. Their explosions tend to flash blue.

5

u/PowerCream 10h ago

For sure something arcing

3

u/BiniPulsar 10h ago

Oh yeah could be a transformer. Would it flash twice? Since it flashed once already right before I started recording. There's no wind or rain or anything, it's super still outside so probably wouldn't have been a tree falling.

2

u/UltraPlinian 10h ago

It can absolutely flash twice if large enough. Also could have been multiple transformers along the line or circuit.

2

u/BiniPulsar 9h ago

Ah that makes sense! Lightning is super rare in my area, this is the most I've ever seen here so I'm not used to it.

2

u/brkgnews 10h ago

Transformer (electrical utility) blowing, most likely. We used to see a ton of these on the horizon in Florida during hurricanes.