"Unprecedented Lightning Display: The Tonga Hunga Volcano's Electrifying Spectacle"

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in January 2022 produced a record-breaking lightning storm, with 2,600 flashes of lightning every minute and nearly 200,000 flashes in total. The lightning, which reached heights of 12-19 miles above the ocean, provided valuable insights into the volcano's behavior and timeline. The eruption also created concentric rings of lightning, expanding and contracting in the volcanic plume, revealing the presence of gravity waves. The lightning storm, along with the eruption's enormous ash cloud, highlights the need for improved monitoring and forecasting of volcanic hazards, as similar eruptions are likely to occur in the future.