Dec 8, 2016 16K Dislike Share Save Great Big Story 6.07M subscribers Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, is the unofficial lightning capital of the world. Lightning activity is so common there that it has a proper name, Catatumbo Lightning, named for the Catatumbo region located in the southwest corner of the basin. Whether that happens or not, tourists from all over the world will still visit Venezuela to view the worlds most naturally electric spot, and return back home with etched memories of the sights of the everlasting storm of Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo. Catatumbo Lightning Tour Tour of 3 days and 2 nights. Located on the mouth of the Catatumbo river at Lake Maracaibo (Venezuela), the phenomenon is a cloud-to-cloud lightning that forms a voltage arc more than five kilometer high during 140 to 160 nights a year, 10 hours a night, and as . The mysterious "Relampago del Catatumbo" (Catatumbo lightning) is a unique natural phenomenon in the world. Catatumbo lightning is also called as Venezuela's eternal thunderstorm. It doesn't actually strike nonstop, however over the past decades, the lightning episodes occluded about 150 a year. [8]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. VENEZUELA-CATATUMBO The "Catat. Almost 300 nights a year, a lightning storm rages in a small part of Venezuela. Get more relevant results for: clouds, catatumbo lightning, conditions, bright, catatumbo and download more royalty free footage in Nature, categories. [5][3][6], There are several references by colonial Portuguese and Spanish sources, that name this phenomenon as "Lanterns of Saint Anthony" or the "Lighthouse of Maracaibo", as also noted by Alexander Walker in 1822. Efforts are also being made to declare the site as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [10], Some authors have misinterpreted a reference to a glow in the night sky in Lope de Vega's description in his epic, "La Dragontea" of the attack against San Juan de Puerto Rico by Sir Francis Drake as an early literary allusion to the lightning (since in another verse the poet does mention Maracaibo), but it was actually a reference to the glow produced by burning ships during the battle. The exact reason for such high electrical activity in the region is not yet known. Catatumbo lightning at night. The village of Catatumbo in northern Venezuela, lies on the shore of Lake . Universidad del Zulia. How the lightning forms. [12], Russian researcher Andrei Zavrotsky investigated the area several times. Why Is Biodiversity Critical To Life On Earth? ws catatumbo lightning at night / san carlos de zulia, zulia, venezuela - catatumbo lightning stock videos & royalty-free footage " In 2014, Guinness World Records gave the Catatumbo lightning the award for the highest concentration of lightning in the world. REUTERS/Jorge Silva Get this stock video and more royalty-free footage. It occurs only over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo. Find professional Catatumbo videos and stock footage available for license in film, television, advertising and corporate uses. The storm is not an odd fierce strike here and there. This topographic configuration . Colombia, relacin geogrfica, topogrfica, agrcola. 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. Moisture and heat combine to create electrical charges when the air masses meet the Andes mountains' high ridges, the Perij Mountains . 210 votes, 11 comments. [2] It originates from a mass of storm clouds at an altitude of more than 1km (0.6mi), and occurs during 140 to 160 nights a year, nine hours per day, and with lightning flashes from 16 to 40 times per minute. 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. Unfortunately for Kifuka there is a new kid on the block, claiming a far higher frequency of lightning discharges. Known as Relmpago del Catatumbo, the storm is located where the Catatumbo River flows into Lake Maracaibo.Warm air . When is the Best Time to See Catatumbo Lightning? Sometimes it lasts as long as 10 hours per day, with as many as 300 lightning strikes per hour. Wind and heat are crucial for the lightnings display, but so is abundant moisture. These lightning storms can last as long as 9 hours per day, with as many as 28 lightning strikes per minute. Scientists have ascertained that the Catatumbo lightning develops as a result of storms caused by the strong wind blowing across Lake Maracaibo, which is surrounded by swampy plains. Read more. Find Catatumbo Lightning stock video, 4k footage, and other HD footage from iStock. [7] Based on M. Palacios book "Viage de Varinas", Prussian naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt described the lightning in 1826. Not uninterruptedly, of course. [4], The lightning changes its flash frequency throughout the year, and it is different from year to year. 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. 2022 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved, 232.52 flashes of lightning per square kilometer, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. August 2, 2011 -- A mysterious symphony of rapid-fire lightning bolts used to create the greatest light show on Earth over the Catatumbo River in Venezuela -- until . Lightning was likely the first source of fire for prehistoric humansand it remains, along with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, one of natures most amazing displays of power. In Merida town (a 2,5-kilometer drive south from the lake) you can book an arranged jeep tour, paragliding, horse riding and rafting. The lightning produces a great quantity of ozone though its instability makes it unlikely that it has any effect on the ozonosphere. There are 250 lightning strikes per sq. The distance of more than 40 leagues at which the light is distinguished has led to the belief that it could be the effect of a storm or electrical explosions that take place daily in a mountain gorge and it is even assured that the sound of thunder is heard when one approaches the lantern. He was correct on that point, but also reported that other observers had attributed the lightning to an air volcano created by deposits of asphalt. In 1991 he suggested that the phenomenon occurred due to cold and warm air currents meeting around the area. Oh no! The origin of the Catatumbo Lightning is unknown. Media in category "Catatumbo lightning". The Catatumbo lightning storms over the river basin start around sunset and continue to about 9pm or 10pm. Part 1. Great video footage that you won't find anywhere else. The film shows how the fisherman of the village used the lightning to illuminate their night fishing trips, but that environmental degradation, political conflict, and economic decline are turning Congo Mirador into a ghost town. The 13 years of TRMM Lightning Imaging Sensor: from individual flash characteristics to decadal tendencies. Furthermore, it should be noted that this lightning is also unique in that it occurs in the ozone of the troposphere instead of from typical storm clouds. This amazing spectacle of nature is often visible as a brightly illuminated night sky from as far away as 400 kilometers from the origin of the lightning strikes. There, warm waters from the Caribbean Sea flow into the lake, where the hot sun draws up moisture into the air and traps it among the slopes. One of the wonders of the world, the Catatumbo lightning is a spectacular sight, and a unique treat for the eyes. 5:44. Here thunder strikes and lightning are predictable and go with an unbroken consistency. 20 p. Albrecht, R., et al., 2011. Storms rage for almost 300 nights every year and are fueled by a strong Caribbean Jetstream, more than 10.000 square kilometers of low lying water that heats up tremendously in the tropical sun and. Getty Images offers exclusive rights-ready and premium royalty-free analog, HD, and 4K video of the highest quality. Several hypothesis have been put forward to explain the phenomena. These storms can last up to 10 hours and produce 280 strikes of lightning per hour. He was tasked with creating accurate maps of the region, including Lake Maracaibo. Centro de Modelado Cientfico (CMC). Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. At about 250 lightning flashes per square kilometer per year, the Lake Maracaibo Basin in northwestern Venezuela has the highest annual lightning rate of any place in the world. It was a decisive and final victory for the independence of Venezuela. For six weeks beginning in January of that year, no signs of the lightning events were observed in the skies over the Lake Maracaibo. Photo by Mark Vermeij. The storms are thought to be the result of winds blowing across Lake Maracaibo and the surrounding swampy plains. The region endures more than 160 storm nights a year. Atmos. The "Catatumbo Lightning": Venezuela's eternal storm. 12 p. En. In September I finally went back to Venezuela to experience the inI did this for the Weather Channel in order to shoot pictures for a documentary they were s. Catatumbo Lightning is most active in the wetter months of September and October, and least active in the drier months of January and February. 2. Orange and red lightning above Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela produce a spectacular phenomenon that is visible for more than 500 km. One such spectacular natural event is the Catatumbo Lightning in the lesser-known area of north-western Venezuela, where the Catatumbo River meets Lake Maracaibo. That's about 28 lighting strikes every minute enough energy to power 100 million light bulbs. From 1799 to 1800, the German explorer Alexander von Humboldt and naturalist Aim Bonpland made a year-long visit to Venezuela. Nearly every day, there are hundreds of lightning strikes around Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo. Find Catatumbo lightning stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. The only time the Catatumbo lightning disappeared for an extended period of time in the previous century was in 1906, when it vanished for nearly three weeks. These air masses meet the high mountain ridges of the Andes, the Perij Mountains (3,750m (12,000ft)), and Mrida's Cordillera, enclosing the plain from three sides. According to NASA, lightning strikes the roughly 100-square-mile area about 28 times a minute over the course of nine hours. of 1. Catatumbo lightning, as the phenomenon is called, is as spectacular as it sounds, appearing 5 days out of 6, for hours, with up to nearly 30 lightning strikes per minute! There, lightning strikes occur, on average, 300. As the one place on Earth that has the most lightning, Maracabio Lake in Venezuela, is the topic for this weather wise segment. In the 1960s, it was believed that the high volumes of uranium deposits in the bedrock of the region could attract lightning strikes to the lake. While atmospheric conditions that allow for these kinds of lightning strikes can and do occur elsewhere in the world, the Catatumbo River basin produces such fantastic lightning storms that the area holds the record for most lightning strikes to occur in one area. About Catatumbo Lightning Tour. Lake Maracaibo tops out at an astonishing 233 lightning flashes per square kilometer per year, making it the absolute lightning hot spot of the world. km every single year. A real nature tour of 3 days with all included. The disappearance of the lightning was apparently due to an El Nio event during this time, which was responsible for a severe drought in Venezuela, when rainfall was extremely scanty and rivers nearly completely dried up. Lake Maracaibo has a . It seems that [] the electrical matter is concentrated in those places, in which it is observed every night a luminous phenomenon that is like lightning that from time to time ignites the air, he wrote. 2020 is the 5th consecutive year in which at least one Category 5 hurricane formed in the Atlantic basin, and the first time since 1932 where a Category 5 storm formed in November. According to experts at Zulia State University in Venezuela, Catatumbo lighting is most active during the rainy season in September and October, and least active in January and February, the dry season. The lightning of Catatumbo flashes above Curacao. Thanks to his lobbying, this year the Catatumbo Lightning was approved for inclusion in the 2015 edition of Guinness World Records, dethroning the Congolese town of Kifuka as the place with the world's most lightning bolts per square kilometer each year at 250. . How to do? It happens that Catatumbo Lightning, known in Spanish as Relmpago de Catatumbo, is a unique meteorological phenomenon that illuminates the skies nearly half of the year! All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2022 worldatlas.com, Places In The World Where Lightning Strikes The Most, Meet 12 Incredible Conservation Heroes Saving Our Wildlife From Extinction, India's Leopard God, Waghoba, Aids Wildlife Conservation In The Country, India's Bishnoi Community Has Fearlessly Protected Nature For Over 500 Years, Wildfires And Habitat Loss Are Killing Jaguars In The Amazon Rainforest, In India's Sundarbans: Where People Live Face-To-Face With Wild Tigers, Africa's "Thunderbird" Is At Risk Of Extinction. Lightning strikes over Lake Maracaibo in the village of Ologa, where the Catatumbo River feeds into the lake, in the western state of Zulia October 23, 2014. Muoz and his colleagues suggest that these seasonal drivers can help scientists predict lightning activity over the long term. In the evening, cold winds blow down from the mountain peaks and collide with the humid air, forming cumulonimbus clouds. [2] It originates from a mass of storm clouds at an . July 20, 2011, 3:58 PM. Storm chasers flock to remote Catatumbo, where most experts estimate that lightning strikes roughly 140 to 160 nights a year, with flashes often visible seven to 10 hours per night. "RELAMPAGO DEL CATATUMBO OBSERVADO DESDE BACHAQUERO BLOQUE 06".JPG 4,107 2,738; 3.92 MB. Tour guide, Alan Highton explains the phenomenon. When his family moved to Lake Maracaibo four years later, the epicenter of that eternal storm, he met . Browse 27 catatumbo lightning stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. We can't keep all that lighting in a bottle, so here are 10 essential facts about the astounding phenomenon. translation missing: en-us.site_specific.getty.seo_meta_description_film 1. Muoz, .G., Daz-Lobatn, J., 2011: "The Catatumbo Lightnings: A review", Memoirs of the XIV International Conference on Atmospheric Electricity. 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. Using data collected between 1997 and 2015 by NASAs lightning image sensor on its Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, researchers identified the Catatumbo zone of Lake Maracaibo as the lightning capital of the world. Historical records dating back over 400 years indicate that this has been going on for centuries. This electric spot, where the Catatumbo River empties into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela's far northwest, is believed to be the most lightning-struck place on earth. Relmpagos del Catatumbo regeneran la capa de ozono? The Catatumbo Lightning in Venezuala. ", 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=1118576272, This page was last edited on 27 October 2022, at 19:36. stock footage in high definition 1920x1080. http://www.furiousearth.com Storm Chaser, George Kourounis travels to Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela where a phenomenon known as the Catatumbo Everlasting Lightning storm occurs. October is the best month as it produces the highest concentration of lightning strikes. [clarification needed] Other studies have indicated that this model is contradicted by the observed behavior of the lightning, as it would predict that there would be more lightning in the dry season (JanuaryFebruary), and less in the wet season (AprilMay and SeptemberOctober). Years later, working as a tour guide in the Andes, he too saw the Catatumbo Lightning, but . http://www.furiousearth.comStorm Chaser, George Kourounis travels to Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela where a phenomenon known as the Catatumbo Everlasting Lightning storm occurs. - CATATUMBO LIGHTNING AND SOUTH OF THE MARACAIBO LAKE, 2 DAYS/ 1 NIGHT. In the video above, it is easy to see how quickly the strikes add up once the storm cells hit the lake. Brazil. He observed the lightning firsthand and noted in 1841 that there was more rain where the Catatumbo River ended. In 2010 a severe drought caused by El Nio stopped the constant lightning storms, worrying the areas residents. There's even a name for it Catatumbo lightning. Catatumbo stars and storm, c. Alan Highton Do not plan on getting a huge amount of sleep at night, unless you want to miss the whole point of the trip. In the 20th century, when it became clear that storms caused the phenomenon, Venezuelans stopped calling it the Maracaibo Beacon and renamed it Catatumbo lightning. ], he wrote in Personal Narrative of a Journey to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent (translated from Spanish). In 1981, then-surfer Alan Highton came to Venezuela from his native Barbados, in love with a local girl. 8 Catatumbo Lightning Premium Video Footage Browse 8 catatumbo lightningstock videos and clips available to use in your projects, or start a new search to explore more stock footage and b-roll video clips. In the 20th century, when photos and filming of the storms began to circulate in the media, Venezuelans and especially those in Zulia State adopted the phenomenon as their symbol. Though the Catatumbo lightning returned back to the region in April of 2010, there were fears that such an event of its disappearance is going to become more frequent in the future due to the looming threat of climatic change all over the world. 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. Catatumbo Lightning tours have come into existence as they deliver a powerful appeal to the buffs turned on by unusual natural phenomena. Located on the mouth of the Catatumbo river at Lake Maracaibo (Venezuela), the phenomenon is a cloud-to-cloud lightning that forms a voltage arc more than five kilometre high during 140 to 160 nights a year, 10 hours a night, and as many as 280 times an hour. XIV Int. [5] The phenomenon is characterized by almost continuous lightning, mostly within the clouds. The only apparent unique characteristic of this phemonemon is that the storms form and persist in the same place night after night. During this nocturnal phenomenon, there are over 250 strikes per square kilometre and they occur up to . Topography and Lightning: The Lake Maracaibo basin is located between the most northern ridges of the Andes Mountain Range. Venezuelan environmentalist Erik Quiroga suggested to the BBC that ozone generated by Catatumbo lightning could replenish the ozone layer. The phenomenon has been known for centuries as the "Lighthouse of Maracaibo", since it is visible for miles around Lake Maracaibo. Catatumbo means "House of Thunder" in the language of the Bari people. Along the Catatumbo river you can rent a boat and bungalows for overnight. The sky ignites just after the sun sets, and it continues until sun-up . Elec., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. April to November is the best time to see Catatumbo Lightning. I believe the photo below is a time lapse image. The highest volume at Relmpago del Catatumbo can be up to 3,600 bolts in one hours, which means one per second. More recently, the documentary Once Upon a Time in Venezuela, about the town of Congo Mirador, premiered at Sundance and served as the Venezuelan representative for the 2021 Oscars. Guinness World Records recognizes the Catatumbo area as having the highest concentration of lightning on Earth, and since 2002, environmentalist Erik Quiroga has lobbied UNESCO to declare the lightning a world heritage site. Though its exact origins are still fuzzy, scientists think the Catatumbo's, named for a river that runs into the lake, phenomenon is normal lightning that just happens to occur far more frequently than anywhere else, due to local topography and wind patterns. With 250 strikes, Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo region lands in the 2015 Guinness Book of World Records as the place with the most lightning bolts per square kilometer each year. The team's predictions were slightly stronger during the minimum season, but in general the skill level was high enough that decision makers in the Lake Maracaibo Basin could use the model for human . [17][18][19][20] Using satellite data, two groups of researchers have provided analyses of the lightning's location, timing and number of discharges per square kilometer. One of the most recent lightning shows on Lake Maracaibo happened on 1 September 2016. Months later, perhaps as a result of the dry El Nio weather pattern shifting to the wetter, stormier La Nia pattern, the lightning strikes returned. Centro de Modelado Cientfico. The Catatumbo lightning events are like no other phenomenon in the world. Several traditional songs of the Zulia State and the regional anthem mention it, and since 1991, it has been pictured on the Zulia State flag. One place in Venezuela, near the confluence of the Catatumbo River and Lake Maracaibo, experiences dazzling lightning storms almost every day, making it Earths most electric spot. They poke fun In the past, people attributed Catatumbo lightning to the action of uranium in the bedrock, methane released by the surrounding swamps, or the massive oil deposits of Lake Maracaibo. Lightning strikes over Lake Maracaibo in the village of Ologa, in Zulia state, Venezuela, on September 6, 2021. An 8.8-magnitude earthquake that triggered a tsunami was considered to be associated with the disappearance of the Catatumbo lightning during this time. Browse 27 catatumbo lightning stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Splashes of lightning are seen in a radius of about 400 kilometers - you can watch them at any point round the lake. O scar sees the lightning every night. The lightning is such a source of local pride that Zulia, one of Venezuela's 23 states, boasts about the Relmpago del Catatumbo by displaying lightning bolts on its flag and coat of arms. The Catatumbo lightning has been observed for centuries over Lake Maracaibo. By Diego Ore LAKE MARACAIBO Venezuela (Reuters) - When Venezuelan environmentalist Erik Quiroga was five years old, his mum showed him a spot on the horizon where magnificent lights appeared from a huge storm most nights, about 40 miles from his hometown of Valera at the foot of the Andes. Best Price Guaranteed Simple licensing. Muoz, .G., Daz-Lobatn, J., 2012: Los Relmpagos del Catatumbo y el Flujo Energtico Medio en la Cuenca del Lago de Maracaibo. Catatumbo Lightning - Rayo del Catatumbo (22668686290).jpg 5,184 3,456; 8.61 MB. The index seems to capture well the compound effect of multiple climate drivers. Download Now Download Video Credit: NOAA Though he didnt observe the lightning in person, Humboldt heard about its regular displays and wondered about its cause. Sometimes, it even lasts for as long as 10 hours a day, with about 300 lightning strikes every hour. Unlike normal thunderstorms, this thunderstorm always occurs in the same place and can be observed 160 nights per year. In northwest Venezuela, at the place where Lake Maracaibo meets the Catatumbo River, lightning occurs, on average, twenty-eight times per minute for up to nine hours each day after dusk, for around 300 days a year, accompanied by a storm. And the spectacular phenomenon may even be responsible for Venezuela's independence. It happens from 7 to 10 hours a day, almost every day (140 to 160 nights a year). Catatumbo lightning (Spanish: Relmpago del Catatumbo)[1] is an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. Catatumbo lightning ( Spanish: Relmpago del Catatumbo) [1] is an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs over the mouth of the Catatumbo River where it empties into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. For example, it ceased from January to March 2010, apparently due to drought, leading to speculation that it might have been extinguished permanently. Filmed as part of the \"Angry Planet\" TV series.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gkourounis/Twitter: https://twitter.com/georgekourounisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorerGeorgeKourounis/Produced by: www.peterrowe.tv
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