Power flash
Encyclopedia
A power flash is a flash of light
caused by arcing electricity
from damaged electrical equipment. They are often caused by tornado
es, and thus are used by storm spotter
s to spot tornadoes which would otherwise be invisible due to rain or darkness.
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
caused by arcing electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
from damaged electrical equipment. They are often caused by tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es, and thus are used by storm spotter
Storm spotter
A storm spotter is a specific type of weather spotter who actively maintains a visual watch of the development and progression of specific weather events while actively relaying important information to the local weather agency in a timely manner.- History :...
s to spot tornadoes which would otherwise be invisible due to rain or darkness.