A New WMO-Certified Single Megaflash Lightning Record Distance: 829 km (515 mi) occurring on 22 October 2017

Michael Peterson; Rachel I. Albrecht; Sven‐Erik Enno; Ronald L. Holle; Timothy J. Lang; Timothy Logan; Walter Lyons; Joan Montanyà; Shriram Sharma; Yoav Yair; Jessica Losego; Randall S. Cerveny

doi:10.1175/bams-d-25-0037.1

July 31, 2025Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

A New WMO-Certified Single Megaflash Lightning Record Distance: 829 km (515 mi) occurring on 22 October 2017

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Key Points

The lightning discharge distance established a new world record at 829 km, impacting regions from Texas to Missouri.
This record was recognized by the World Meteorological Organization, validating its significance in lightning studies.
The record occurrence was observed during a thunderstorm complex on October 22, 2017, showcasing the extreme behavior of storms.
It highlights the ongoing need to understand and monitor lightning phenomena and their potential implications.

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Implication

The WMO certified a lightning record of 829 km in a thunderstorm complex from eastern Texas to Kansas City, indicating new extremes in lightning behavior.

Abstract

The World Meteorological Organization has recognized a new world record lightning discharge distance of 829 km ± 8 km (515 ± 5 mi) that extended from eastern Texas to near Kansas City MO USA within a 22 October 2017 thunderstorm complex.

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Peterson et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/68c1a40254b1d3bfb60de4dc https://doi.org/10.1175/bams-d-25-0037.1

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A New WMO-Certified Single Megaflash Lightning Record Distance: 829 km (515 mi) occurring on 22 October 2017

Key Points

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Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

A New WMO-Certified Single Megaflash Lightning Record Distance: 829 km (515 mi) occurring on 22 October 2017

Key Points

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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