Lightning like flashes at night?

Question

It's been really hot out the past few days, and during the nights there are lightning like flashes, but I don't think they're lightning cause there isn't a storm, and there's no thunder. What is this and what causes it?

Answer 1

maybe there's just a flash, i think it's because the lightning is too far away to be heard

Answer 2

It might be St elmo's fire caused by too much electricity in the air.

Answer 3

There is no such thing as heat lightning.    And usually all lightning events are associated with convectivity.  That said, we experienced and forecasted for POLC conditions in the upper parts of the atmosphere..  Possibility of lightning conditions,  in basically clear air..   But what you are seeing,  may be distant lightning over the horizon....

Answer 4

Heat lightning!

Answer 5

lightning too distant for thunder to be heard is usually flashes near the horizon on summer evenings.

p.s. - heat lightning is real lightning