Darwin Lightning and Storm Photos

I took both lightning photos below looking north from the Darwin suburb of Nightcliff. The two photos are good examples of positive lightning strikes - positively charged lightning that leaves the top of the storm, travels out, and strikes the ground some distance from where the storm is actually producing rain. They often produce the most spectacular lightning photos, but by the same token are probably the most dangerous form of lightning. It is not a pleasant feeling to be watching a storm at what you think is a safe distance only to hear the thunder crackle overhead as the lightning strikes somewhere behind you!

This late season storm approached Darwin from the south east on the 11th of April 2002. I could hear thunder as the storm approached, but unfortunately it died right on the footsteps of Darwin preventing any lightning photography. It did however produce a nice gust front and some heavy rain.

The lightning in following photos was all produced by the same storm. I took the ground strikes looking north from the cliffs at Nightcliff but was forced to retreat to my apartment when the lightning got just a bit too close! I then pointed my camera to the heavens to capture the constant crawlers flashing overhead.