Cloud-to-Ground Lightning - Positive

A lightning discharge between cloud and ground initiated by a downward-moving, positively-charged leader. Abbreviated "+CG". Positive CGs are less common than negative CGs, and usually are associated with supercell thunderstorms and trailing stratiform precipitation regions behind squall lines. Positive cloud-to-ground lightning strikes can be identified visually and in photographs by their distinctive lack of branching (positive CGs occasionally will have branching at higher altitudes, but rarely near the ground). Positive CGs usually consist of only one return stroke, which is typically very bright and intense relative to other lightning activity in a storm. It is common for photographs of positive CGs to be overexposed unless the photographer has stopped the lens down significantly. Thunder from a positive CG is typically very loud, and many times sounds like a series of deep, low-frequency sonic booms. Sprites (see below) are usually associated with the more intense positive CGs. ARTICLE: In-depth look at cloud-to-ground lightning

PHOTOS: Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Gallery