Supercell with Incredible Lightning Barrage, Ellenville NY, August 12, 2023

On August 12th, 2023, the active summer in NY State continued as another disturbance moved through the region. The Storm Prediction Center issued an Enhanced risk of severe weather for parts of central and eastern NY with a risk of damaging winds, hail, and a few tornadoes. Both speed and directional shear were favorable for Supercells, with elongated low-level hodographs indicating enhanced low level wind shear as well.
I intercepted one of the supercells in southwestern Ulster County as it intensified. The storm had noticeable mid-level rotation and a persistent wall cloud but failed to produce a tornado. However, as the updraft intensified, it produced arguably the most incredible barrage of close-range cloud-to-ground lightning strikes that I've ever seen. It was certainly the most impressive I've seen in New York. At first, I was photographing outside, but I quickly retreated to the relative safety of my car to continue filming as dozens of clear air strikes hit the ground close to my location.

[@cotysalisbury861]

I was just in the heart of a 90 degree thunderstorm the other week. But this is indeed insane lightning. Constant favorite sounds.

[@anxiousmars4777]

0:58 that pop noise is probably from how close the lightning was

[@DaveTinNY]

Great video. Love just the sounds of the wind and thunder. The lightning's not bad either! :)

[@marshallsweatherhiking1820]

I’m jealous. This kind of CG activity is rare. I witnessed a supercell that produced hail the size of baseballs, yet it seemed like there was no lightning.

[@storm12weather]

The distribution of lightning in thunderstorms is quite complicated. I've noticed that clear air strikes near the updraft tend to ramp up in supercells when a new updraft tower is ascending rapidly and then maxes out. This is based on my own experience though and I'm not sure if it's been confirmed through data. I've also chased supercells much larger than this one that contain very little in the way of clear air strikes with much of the lightning embedded in the downdraft core.

[@marshallsweatherhiking1820]

@@storm12weather Supercell storms are not common where I live. My experience is non-severe storms have much less total lightning, but can have a lot of negative strikes (often more than a quarter of all flashes). Dewpoints climbing into the 70s really seems to ramp up the negative CG rate, sometimes generating 5 or more negative leader bursts per minute, with 1-3 separate ground connections per burst (plus multiple strokes per connection). The most severe storms OTOH have fewer CG strikes, like maybe only 1 burst every 2 minutes, even with upwards of 100 IC flashes per minute. When they are frequent, the highest activity seems to occur around the periphery, either out ahead of the core with a supercell (along and south of the forward flank), or in the stratiform “moat” area immediately behind a severe squall line.

[@firhanfirhan4050]

GOD OL, typical summer weather

[@zepcono1]

1:00 ish, you can hear a "positive streamer" pop I think, good thing it wasn't the main bolt, still super close. I've experienced something like that a few months back (video is on my channel), this is some impressive footage, I hope you were in a car and the camera was outside lol, seriously though. edit: Man, watching the whole clip, one hell of a storm, great video awesome audio!

[@storm12weather]

Interestingly, I didn't notice that sound while filming, but your hypothesis could certainly be correct. Also, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@lindametelka5172]

isn't it pretty unusual to have lightning coming out of the roll cloud itself? Wow!!

[@storm12weather]

Good question. With supercells or other storms with very tall updrafts I wouldn't say it's super uncommon, but it is indeed true that clear air strikes out ahead of the precipitation core tend to be less common than strikes within the core itself. Based on studies and my own experience, clear air strikes tend to ramp up when the storm is rapidly intensifying and a new updraft is growing. They are far more dangerous than typical CG lightning because they can reach out miles ahead of the storm core. This storm was among the most prolific producers of clear air bolts I've ever seen and this sequence lasted for about 30 minutes before it mellowed out again. I had originally intended on trying to get more stills, but the storm forced me to get back in my car and film from the window while I set the gopro on the roof. There were way too many close range strikes to setup my tripod and stand outside.

[@ivancoley11]

Ill bet you that this supercell had overshooting tops on top of the anvil.

[@storm12weather]

Agreed. I recall an overshooting top being visible on satellite. This storm was over 45,000 feet tall at this time.

[@michaelkeene3051]

Some insane lightning there, great video!

[@storm12weather]

Appreciate it! And yes, this was easily one of the most prolific lightning producers I've seen in NY state.

[@Gibbs-rq4yg]

Really nice video Greetings from Oslo,Norway

[@storm12weather]

Thankyou!

[@killingzoe9002]

Me fascinan las Supercell gracias por el video

[@storm12weather]

Of course. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@forgaven3346]

The positive lightning strike are so sick and dangerous!

[@LightningEthan]

Wow, really nice bolts, I wish I was there haha

[@storm12weather]

Thanks! And yeah this was some pretty awesome lightning. Amazing but it also made me a bit nervous!

[@jadenhaberlock415]

Wow that was very violent

[@Eugene-637.]

@very nice 🌩️

[@weathertracker2517]

sick shots!! I was also on this storm but just south in Walden NY (northern orange county) i missed the core by about a mile and a half where winds were likely 70+... i got winds of about 40-50 but on my way home we saw many firetrucks and emergency response vehicles going North East where the core hit. Just uploaded a video regarding my chase and what I got!

[@storm12weather]

Nice! I'll check out the video. I actually avoided the core of this storm completely. Just a couple drops of rain. Haha.

[@lourensjacobsakaturbo8147]

that structure looks very angry with the positive lightning bolts and loud thunder looks intensely dark

[@storm12weather]

This was some pretty impressive structure for NY for sure!

[@DonkeyKong1195]

I got the core of it here in Plattekill. Then long Island got hit with 3 different storms overnight

[@storm12weather]

Was that the same cell or a new one that formed? I think this one may have died as others developed ahead of it.

[@DonkeyKong1195]

@@storm12weather can't remember but I remember seeing the formation as Ellenville is only 13 miles from me to the west.

[@storm12weather]

​@DonkeyKong1195 How was it? I saw a report of 1 inch hail from this storm but I let the core pass just to my north.

[@DonkeyKong1195]

@@storm12weather I didn't get any hail but mostly Heavy rain, strong winds and constant lightning. Speaking of hail, I did get 3/4 inch hail in Highland, NY back in June.

[@celeno31]

shared!

[@storm12weather]

Thanks so much!

[@TomTom-lb8zb]

Cool😃🙃

[@dilipahirkarmur9891]

સુપર ❤️

[@JasonMartin915]

In Illinois we call this just a thundershower

[@storm12weather]

Haha. Well storms like this are certainly more common in Illinois. This was actually a legitimate supercell with strong mid-level rotation though. I've chased many supercells in the plains too and have seen a few tornadoes. They are generally far more impressive than NY storms. Though with that in mind, even when considering supercells in the plains this storm stood in its own right simply from the number and frequency of CG strikes. The amount of clear air CGs in this storm rivaled many of the supercells I've seen in the plains.

[@Milepost1965]

God's mighty power....

[@Me0w_VR]

That’s my school

[@firhanfirhan4050]

Are this in usa

[@storm12weather]

Yes. This is in New York State. Ulster County specifically.

[@williamschmidt2576]

MOTIVTE YOURSELF NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@AndreiZlate-vq2wk]

Andrei

[@juanvicenteherrera6525]

hola espero que puedas en tender lo que vi en tu video en el minuto 055 asta el minuto 059 de derecha a isquierda paso un cilindro como a unos 1000 kilometro de velocidad para que lopuedas ver tenes que reproducir tu videos a 025 cuadro por segundo o mas lento que puedas y veras un ufo en forma de cilindro espero que puedas verlo

[@hugobaires2113]

Solo ese miro I mas cosas mas grandes si Mira mas cerqita 2 o 3 Cara's ASTA Los ojis negros

[@hugobaires2113]

Pero no crea LA jente no lie importa pero cuando les de la GANA Los van a comer a todos somos un buffet para ellos

[@hugobaires2113]

Pero si si le interase esto de lol que miramos Tengo una lista que SI SE Miran entre la jente andan y no SE dan cuenta SE muevan super rapido solo con Camara lenta pero no le diga a Nadine porke medisen loko

[@LightningEthan]

that's a bug flying next to the camera.