blixten

Blixten is the Swedish term for lightning, the rapid electrical discharge that occurs during thunderstorms. It arises from a large-scale separation of electrical charges within cumulonimbus clouds, and sometimes between a cloud and the Earth’s surface. The discharge produces a brief, intensely bright flash of light and is accompanied by thunder.

Within a thundercloud, collisions among ice and water particles generate a separation of charges, leaving the upper cloud positively charged and the lower cloud negatively charged. When the electric potential becomes large enough, a channel of ionized air, called a stepped leader, descends toward the ground. A return stroke then travels up this channel, producing the bright flash. The discharge can repeat, causing a rapid sequence of strokes.

There are several discharge forms: cloud-to-ground, cloud-to-cloud, and intra-cloud discharges. Other phenomena include rare ball lightning. Lightning can strike tall structures, trees, or open areas, posing hazards to people and property.

Detection and study rely on ground-based sensors that monitor electric fields and radio signals, and on optical sensors on satellites. Global networks provide data on frequency and location, aiding weather forecasting and safety warnings.

Effects include fires, structural damage, injuries, and fatalities. Safety guidance emphasizes seeking shelter indoors, avoiding tall objects and open fields, and staying away from metal objects during a storm.

In Swedish, blixten is the definite form of blixt (lightning). The term appears in weather reports, science writing, and media.