Horrifying footage shows what happens when lightning strikes an active volcano
Viewers were stunned by what they referred to as ‘once in a lifetime’ footage
When Mother Nature decides to take control, all you can do is relax and wish for the best outcome.
There was a viral video going around on social media that captured the exact moment when molten lava and lightning came together.
The two forces clash, creating a scene that feels like The Undertaker making his 100th comeback to the WWE, and we totally love it!
Two forces of nature colliding. (Getty Stock Images)
A TikTok video shows bright orange-red lava flowing down from the volcano’s peak, and it’s so hot that it can actually melt steel!
Suddenly, a lightning bolt strikes the lava, creating an amazing sight that’s really tough to describe.
The thought that the lava actually interacts with the lightning isn’t completely accurate.
So, when a volcano erupts it releases ash, gas, and lava into the air.
The process happens when volcanic particles bump into each other and create friction, which produces static electricity. If the conditions are just right, this can lead to lightning forming in the volcanic plume.
The video went viral on social media. (TikTok/@brown_watermelon)
Volcanic lightning is often called a ‘dirty thunderstorm,’ and it only occurs in the sky above a volcano that is erupting.
Lava doesn’t create lightning on its own, but it helps create the right conditions for lightning to happen.
People watching the video were really surprised by what they saw, but at the same time, many thought that Lightning McQueen from Cars might suddenly appear, just like he usually does on social media.
One person said, “I thought I was going to see Lightning McQueen, but this was even better!”
@brown_watermelon #lightning #lava #eruption #volcano #thunder #nature #power ♬ Thunder Sound – Tmsoft's White Noise Sleep Sounds
“So clearly I’ve got some trust issues, because I was expecting being tricked by another Lightning McQueen video.. I’m so happy that this time it was a real one,” a second penned.
A third person said, “After playing video games for so long, I’ve learned one important thing! There’s a big boss fight happening at the top of that mountain!”
Another added: “Wow… once in a lifetime captured right there… you are truly blessed to have captured this.”
Recently, this event happened at the Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala, just like we’ve seen in other videos on social media.
The volcano erupted in 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023, while people in Guatemala City, which is 44 kilometers (27 miles) southwest of Fuego’s peak, looked on.
Scientists from the University of Hawaii’s Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes explained that just like in a thunderstorm, a volcanic eruption creates a cloud filled with tiny bits of volcanic material that crash into each other really fast. These fast collisions can cause charges to separate in the volcanic cloud, which can lead to lightning.
Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@brown_watermelon
