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lightning from Cumulonimbus praecipitatio (photo by H.B. Bluestein)
ball lightning
This is a phenomenon that occurs very rarely, usually immediately after a thunderbolt. It is described as a bluish white or a red ball with a diameter of 5 to 30 cm (but sometimes even bigger), that moves at changeable speed and along odd paths in the air. The ball does however sometimes also follow electric power lines, along which it rolls as it were. On shore such a ball has penetrated a dwelling through chimneys, cracks and even through closed doors and windows. Finally it explodes with a loud bang leaving no traces behind. The explosion of the ball is accompanied by a strong sulphurous light. The balls appear to be composed of a very hot gas mixture, the red balls would not be as hot as the bluish white balls.
cloud lightning
In this special discharge in the cloud, part of the cloud is lit up. This cloud lightning is often observed in the equatorial doldrums; the length of this lightning may be 10 to 30 km.
ribbon lightning
This occurs as an abnormally large number of discharges following one another in one and the same path from cloud to earth; the consequence of this is that the light phenomenon is then observed for a second or longer. The lightning path may also be moved by the wind in a horizontal direction; this type of lightning gets its name from the 'ribbon' then produced.
bead lightning
This is a very rarely occurring form of discharge. The lightning path here looks like a string of orange- or red-coloured beads, the separate beads of which can be clearly seen. The occurrence of the phenomenon is accompanied by the longer than usual afterglow of the normal lightning and must then be attributed to a special atmospheric condition. The explanation is unknown. On various occasions it has been found that the phenomenon is repeated in the same cloud.