A little question about lightning?

Question

if you see a lightning and can't hear any thunder does that mean the lightning is far and safe? it's night now the lighning color is yellor/gold??

Answer 1

Lightning without thunder can still be dangerous.  Lightning without thunder is at least 12 miles away, but lightning can strike up to 15 miles from the storm.

Lightning may appear to be different colors due to impurities in the air.

Answer 2

A lightning that can't be heard is sometimes called a heat lightning. This is a misnomer because it has nothing to do with heat. It is simply - as you say - a lightning that happens so far away that you see it at night but can't hear it.

Another reason for unheard lightning is when it happens between two clouds. As you probably know, lightning occurs when static electricity discharges between a strong ascending cloud and its surrounding. That can be the earth or ... another cloud.

The colour of lighting is affected, like the colour of the sun, by the degree of humidity in the air. It is not unusual to see lightning's colour to be redish if the distance is great.

In any case, a lighting without the sound of thunder is happening at a safe distance from you. You don't need to worry.

Answer 3

There is no such thing as "heat lightning." All that you are seeing is lightning from a distant thunderstorm that is so far away from you that you can not hear thunder. This is a misconception among most people and that is how it got the term "heat lightning." At night on a clear night you can see lightning up to 100 miles away. Here is a good site on lightning.

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/lightnin...