How lightning gets so hot
A bolt can briefly heat the air around it to temperatures far above the surface of the Sun.
alex4 November 2026 · 1 min read
A bolt can briefly heat the air around it to temperatures far above the surface of the Sun.
A huge spark
Lightning is a giant electrical discharge that forces a narrow channel of air to extreme temperatures.
Hotter than the Sun
That channel can reach around 30,000 degrees Celsius, while the surface of the Sun is about 5,500 degrees.
A single bolt is hotter than the surface of the Sun for a moment.
Why thunder happens
The air expands explosively as it heats and creates the shock wave we hear as thunder.
