The heat and moisture collected across the plains create electrical charges and, as the air masses are destabilized by the mountain ridges, result in thunderstorm activity. Catatumbo Lightning (Map)Lake Maracaibo. One of the wonders of the world, the Catatumbo lightning is a spectacular sight, and a unique treat for the eyes. Why Catatumbo River is the most lightning-struck place on earth. Catatumbo lightning (Spanish: Relámpago del Catatumbo) is an atmospheric phenomenon which occurs over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. It occurs over and around Lake Maracaibo, typically over a bog area formed where the Catatumbo River flows into the lake. Atmos. It occurs only over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. XIV Int. Golden Circle. Italian geographer Agustin Codazzi described it in 1841 as "like a continuous lightning, and its position such that, located almost on the meridian of the mouth of the lake, it directs the navigators as a lighthouse. [16][17][18][19] Using satellite data, two groups of researchers have provided analyses of the lightning's location, timing and number of discharges per square kilometer. [22], Coordinates: 9°20′39″N 71°42′38″W / 9.34417°N 71.71056°W / 9.34417; -71.71056 (Approximate center), CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (. Sometimes it lasts as long as 10 hours per day, with as many as 300 lightning … Reporte Público CMC-01-2015. These air masses meet the high mountain ridges of the Andes, the Perijá Mountains (3,750 m), and Mérida's Cordillera, enclosing the plain from three sides. By Oishimaya Sen Nag on April 25 2017 in Environment. The Catatumbo lightning has been observed for centuries over Lake Maracaibo. In Venezuela, at the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it meets the Lake Maracaibo, a unique and impressive natural phenomenon, variously known as the "Catatumbo lightning", the "Beacon of Maracaibo" or the “Everlasting Storm”, captures the eyes and attention of all observers there to witness it. in Iceland. Centro de Modelado Científico (CMC). Awesome Places. It originates from a mass of storm clouds at a height of more than 1 km, and occurs during 140 to 160 nights a year, 10 hours per day and up to 280 times per hour. Universidad del Zulia. In Venezuela, at the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it meets the Lake Maracaibo, a unique and impressive natural phenomenon, variously known as the "Catatumbo lightning", the "Beacon of Maracaibo" or the “Everlasting Storm”, captures the eyes and attention of all observers there to witness it. "Fogonazos: Catatumbo, the everlasting storm", "Drought extinguishes Venezuela's lightning phenomenon", "Venezuela's Mysterious Catatumbo Lightning Phenomenon Vanishes for Months, Then Reappears", Viage a las Regiones Equinocciales del Nuevo Continente, Dislates y Disparates sobre el Relámpago del Catatumbo: La expedición de Drake, de 1595. [2] It occurs over and around Lake Maracaibo, typically over a bog area formed where the Catatumbo River flows into the lake. The study also showed that the forecast accuracy is significantly higher when an index based on a combination of winds and convective available potential energy is used. Centro de Modelado Científico. [11], Between 1966 and 1970, Russian researcher Andrei Zavrotsky investigated the area three times, with assistance from the University of the Andes..[citation needed] He concluded that the lightning has several epicenters in the marshes of Juan Manuel de Aguas National Park, Claras Aguas Negras, and west Lake Maracaibo. Lake at Salt Flats or Salar de Uyuni. Whether that happens or not, tourists from all over the world will still visit Venezuela to view the world’s most naturally electric spot, and return back home with etched memories of the sights of the “everlasting storm” of Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo. ", World's first seasonal lightning forecast, Storm Chaser George Kourounis Investigates the Catatumbo Lightning Phenomenon, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catatumbo_lightning&oldid=990865189, CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from August 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 26 November 2020, at 23:23. [13] The methane model is based on symmetry properties of the methane. Reporte público in Vietnam. [10], Catatumbo lightning usually develops between 8°30′N 71°0′W / 8.500°N 71.000°W / 8.500; -71.000 (Approximate outer limit) and 9°45′N 73°0′W / 9.750°N 73.000°W / 9.750; -73.000 (Approximate outer limit). In 1991 he suggested that the phenomenon occurred due to cold and warm air currents meeting around the area. For six weeks beginning in January of that year, no signs of the lightning events were observed in the skies over the Lake Maracaibo. However, as of yet, in the absence of sufficient proof, it is though that a combination of various factors, including the land topography and wind patterns, could be responsible for the everlasting storm. [4] The phenomenon is characterized by almost continuous lightning, mostly within the clouds. in Madagascar. "Phenomena – A science salon hosted by National Geographic Magazine", http://cmc.org.ve/portal/archivo.php?archivo=241, "Where are the lightning hotspots on Earth? Conf. Muñoz, Á.G., Núñez, A., Chourio, X., Díaz-Lobatón, J., Márquez, R., Moretto, P., Juárez, M., Casanova, V., Quintero, A., Zurita, D., Colmenares, V., Vargas, L., Salcedo, M.L., Padrón, R., Contreras, L., Parra, H., Vaughan, C., Smith, D., 2015: Reporte Final de la Expedición Catatumbo: Abril 2015. Satellite map of Catatumbo lightning The Catatumbo Lightning (Spanish: Relámpago del Catatumbo) is an atmospheric phenomenon in Venezuela. Here, the night sky is regularly illuminated for nine hours at a time, with lightning striking the sky at the rate of about 28 strikes per minute. in New Zealand. Another hypothesis was that methane released from the oil fields in the region could also be responsible for the Catatumbo lightnings. In early 2010, news spread that the Catatumbo lightning had vanished, causing significant unrest among the locals in the region, and also triggering scientists to wonder as to the reason for the disappearance of the lightning. Elec., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Even though previously the mountain village of Kifuka in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa was know to be the most electric place on Earth, with 158 lightning flashes per square kilometer each year, the Catatumbo lightning has surpassed this figure with 250 lightning flashes per square kilometer each year.