What is the secret of the reverse lightning that came out of the clock tower in Makkah Al-Mukarramah towards the sky?

Written By رنا السيلاوي on 2022/08/06

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.

<p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"><strong>Arab Weather</strong> - An amazing luminous display of a rare phenomenon of lightning lit up the sky of the holy city of Makkah on Friday night (August 5), and the scene was documented in a video clip showing a bolt of lightning exploding from the clock tower towards the sky, unlike what we usually see in thunderstorms.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"><p lang="ar" style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D9%83%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86?... /> Lightning lights up the sky of the campus<br /> “It is He who shows you lightning for fear and greed, and raises the heavy clouds.” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86?... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%... Friday night</a> <a href="https://t.co/rWDRqi6ljO">pic.twitter.com/rWDRqi6ljO</a></p> — Arab Weather - Saudi Arabia (@ArabiaWeatherSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArabiaWeatherSA/status/1555314565654712320?ref_src=t... 4, 2022</a> </blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <strong>What is upward lightning (reverse lightning)?</strong></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> The phenomenon of lightning moving in the opposite direction (from the ground to the sky) is called upward lightning, and the phenomenon of upward lightning occurs when a strong electric field passes over a tall object such as a skyscraper or a radio tower, and a lightning spark is released from the tower as a result.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Although the mechanism in which lightning occurs in its various types is still a science full of secrets, it is simply an electrical discharge due to the accumulation of electric charges in thunderstorms (cumulus clouds), and negative charges can occur (which often happens) or discharge of charges Positive (then the lightning is stronger and more dangerous).</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> Through studies conducted by scientists, it was found that <strong>upward lightning (or reverse lightning)</strong> occurs primarily when there is a positive lightning flash that transfers charges from the cloud to the ground, so the change in the electric field caused by the previous flash leads to an upward electric discharge from a tall object such as a building or Tower or wind turbines, and upward lightning does not occur if a tall object is not present, and these tall structures experience currents of upward lightning at a much higher rate than they would encounter from ordinary downward lightning.</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> This is another video showing footage of the spark of lightning rising from the connection towers in the holy city of Makkah:</p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"><p lang="ar" style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D... Arabia</a><br /> Amazing clips of lightning strikes in the sky <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D9%83%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86?... Mecca_alan</a> from the filming of the creator Muhammad Al-Hudhali <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%... Friday_night</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86?... Jeddah_alan #</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9_%... <a href="https://t.co/MgyEfHNqBS">pic.twitter.com/MgyEfHNqBS</a></p> — Arab Weather - Saudi Arabia (@ArabiaWeatherSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArabiaWeatherSA/status/1555325743311327232?ref_src=t... 4, 2022</a> </blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <strong>You may also be interested in:</strong></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <strong><a href="https://www.arabiaweather.com/ar/content/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%A7%... - how do they arise and what are their types?</a></strong></p><p style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <strong><a href="https://www.arabiaweather.com/ar/content/%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%82-... dangers of lightning strikes..and ways to protect them</a></strong></p>

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.


Browse on the official website



When does Ramadan 2026-1447 begin?Officially: The European Council for Fatwa and Research determines the start of Ramadan for this year 1447 AHJordan: Temperatures to reach record highs in February on MondaySaudi Arabia | The Horizons Astronomical Society predicts that Wednesday will be the first day of Ramadan Jordan calls for sighting the crescent moon of Ramadan on Tuesday eveningSaudi Arabia calls for the sighting of the crescent moon of Ramadan on Tuesday evening.Warning: Observing the Ramadan crescent with the naked eye may cause blindness!Weekly Bulletin | Strong high pressure system and warmer-than-usual weather in mid-February!Jordan: Strong high pressure system on Sunday and Monday; temperatures could be the highest in February in years.