Lightning Storms

[fci]

I saw a Current Forecast form the NWS that refers to
".numerous heavy rain showers with embedded lightning storms"

What is the difference between a Lightning storm and what I know as a Thunderstorm?

Are they the same?

Can you have a Lightning Storm without Thunder???

[WindRunner]

I think that's just a techinicality, as there is no way to detect thunder like we can with lightning, so the NWS just sticks with what they know. I mean, who knows, that could have been the one day where the lightning didn't produce any thunder? But that's just my best guess. I'd still like else to answer to make sure.

[wjs3]

There cannot be lightning wthout thunder. There can't be thunder without lightning.

If you see lightning but don't hear thunder, it's likely because you're too far away (heat lightning is the calssic example of this). If you hear thunder but don't see lightning, then you must have missed or been prevented from seeing the lightning (you weren't looking, or it was buried in the cloud, for instance).

So, though it was unusual to say "lightning storms", we're talking about the same old thing, I'd guess....what we normally call thunderstorms.

[NFLDART]

cant have one without the other...same thing

[bob rulz]

Can you have a Lightning Storm without Thunder???

Of course! Haven't you ever seen War of the Worlds?

[Tstormwatcher]

From what I understand, a lightning storm or electrical storm, is one with excessive lightning. Like having the sky constantly lite up during the course of the storm.