Numinous
Numinous › Earth › Fact
Earth

A lightning bolt can heat the air around it to 50,000°F, about 5 times hotter than the surface of the Sun, according to the National Weather Service.

1 source verified 2 min read
A lightning bolt can heat the air around it to 50,000°F, about 5 times hotter than the surface of the Sun, according to the National Weather Service.ILLUSTRATION · AI

As lightning passes through air, it can heat that air to 50,000°F, about five times hotter than the surface of the Sun, the National Weather Service says.

How hot lightning gets depends on what it is passing through. In air, the NWS puts the figure at 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

SourcesEvery claim traced
Advertisement
Keep reading

More facts

Arches National Park in Utah has over 2,000 documented natural stone arches, from sliver-thin cracks to spans greater than 300 feet, the National Park Service says.
Earth

Arches National Park in Utah has over 2,000 documented natural stone arches, from sliver-thin cracks to spans greater than 300 feet, the National Park Service says.

Verified2 min
Mount Rainier carries 28 major glaciers. Together with its smaller snow and ice patches, they cover about 30 square miles and feed five major river systems.
Earth

Mount Rainier carries 28 major glaciers. Together with its smaller snow and ice patches, they cover about 30 square miles and feed five major river systems.

Verified2 min
The deepest part of the ocean, the Challenger Deep, is about 35,876 feet down. That's roughly three times the ocean's average depth of 12,080 feet, NOAA says.
Earth

The deepest part of the ocean, the Challenger Deep, is about 35,876 feet down. That's roughly three times the ocean's average depth of 12,080 feet, NOAA says.

Verified2 min