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Weather and Climate - What Color Is Lightning?
What color is lightning?
Lightning takes on a range of colors, depending on conditions in the clouds and in the air.
Blue lightning within a cloud indicates the presence of hail.
Red lightning within a cloud indicates the presence of rain.
Yellow or orange lightning occurs when there is a large concentration of dust in the air.
White lightning is a sign of low humidity (amount of moisture in the air). White is the color of lightning that most often ignites forest fires.
Sources: Burroughs, William J., et. al. The Nature Company Guides: Weather, p. 240; Field, Frank. Doctor Frank Field's Weather Book, p. 201.
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