Heat lightning isnt a real type of lightning [Video]

In many places, “heat lightning” is common during the hot, humid months of July and August. Heat lightning, according to some, is a flash of cloud lightning that isn’t accompanied by thunder and is caused by the heat.

A social media post with over 12,000 likes claims that heat lightning doesn’t actually exist.

THE QUESTION

Is heat lightning real?

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

No, heat lightning is not real.

WHAT WE FOUND

There is no such thing as soundless lightning caused by hot, humid temperatures. 

The soundless flash of light people often call “heat lightning” is actually caused by regular lightning produced by thunderstorms. The lightning is just too far away to be seen or heard, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Extension says.

The faint flash isn’t the lightning itself; it’s light from the strike being reflected off of higher-level clouds, the National …