One of the coolest natural phenomena on the continent is the Catatumbo Lightning, a peculiar electrical storm that occurs at the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo, in Venezuela. The 10-hour storms normally happen 140 or so nights out of the year, and are characterized by almost constant electrical discharges, without thunder. The energy it produces in 10 minutes could light up every light bulb on the continent, and they say it’s the greatest single generator of ozone on the planet.
And for some reason, the Catatumbo Lightning has stopped. Reports EFE:
“Since the end of January until tonight, the Catatumbo Lightning has not been seen. It’s the longest disappearance (of the phenomenon) in 104 years,” said (Venezuelan environmentalist Erik) Quiroga to EFE.
Quiroga linked the problem to the “El Niño” phenomenon, which is causing Venezuela’s longest drought since 1947 and has affected the Catatumbo River, where the lightning takes place.
The Wikipedia page on the Catatumbo Lightning says it is caused by gases rising from a swamp to meet cooler air descending from the Andes Mountains. The meeting of the two currents creates an electrical charge that is discharged as lightening. Apparently some element of that mechanism has been interrupted by the drought. Quiroga blames “extreme sedimentation of the Catatumbo River and deforestation, which are degrading the marshes in Ciénagas National Park.”
Here’s a video of the lightning during better times:
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Lightning not crashing
The lightening.
One of the coolest natural phenomena on the continent is the Catatumbo Lightning, a peculiar electrical storm that occurs at the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo, in Venezuela. The 10-hour storms normally happen 140 or so nights out of the year, and are characterized by almost constant electrical discharges, without thunder. The energy it produces in 10 minutes could light up every light bulb on the continent, and they say it’s the greatest single generator of ozone on the planet.
And for some reason, the Catatumbo Lightning has stopped. Reports EFE:
The Wikipedia page on the Catatumbo Lightning says it is caused by gases rising from a swamp to meet cooler air descending from the Andes Mountains. The meeting of the two currents creates an electrical charge that is discharged as lightening. Apparently some element of that mechanism has been interrupted by the drought. Quiroga blames “extreme sedimentation of the Catatumbo River and deforestation, which are degrading the marshes in Ciénagas National Park.”
Here’s a video of the lightning during better times:
(Image from Wikimedia Commons, courtesy Thechemicalengineer.)
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