A typical lightning stroke carries an electrical charge of more than 100 million volts.
Lightning can split tree trunks, start fires, and knock airplanes out of the sky.
Learning about Lightning. In this fact-filled book, meteorologist Jonathan Kahl explains how lightning forms, what happens when lightning strikes, and how scientists study this dangerous weather event. Using full-color photographs and charts, Thunderbolt shows us lightning in action. But while it is often beautiful, lightning can also be deadly. Dr. Kahl describes the damage lightning causes and explains how you can protect yourself from a lightning strike.