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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Rogue Valley gubernatorial candidate blasts Gov. Brown on climate change ... Historical Society executive director stepping down ... Police say Grants Pass man admits to 50 vehicle thefts in Rogue Valley ... Rogue Valley gubernatorial candidate blasts Gov. Brown on climate change ... Historical Society executive director stepping down ... Police say Grants Pass man admits to 50 vehicle thefts in Rogue Valley ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Yes, there are different kinds of lightning Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jul. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News I watched the news (Wednesday, July 8) report on the lightning storm we had. They reported the total number of lightning strikes, and the number of "positive" and "negative." What is "positive" and "negative" lightning? I thought lightning was lightning. — Lorraine P., Medford It's true, Lorraine, lightning can be classified as either positive or negative — much like airline flights or surprise visits from in-laws. The National Weather Service tells us positive strikes occur less often. Meteorologist Shad Keene says they account for fewer than 5 percent of all lightning strikes. It's also much more dangerous. Positive strikes originate in the "cirrus anvil," or those big, high clouds that come off the edges of thunderstorms. "In that area of the thunderstorm, a high positive charge resides." Positive strikes are stronger than negative ones — there's a motivational speaker analogy in there somewhere — because they have to travel through much more space to touch the ground. "If it starts way up on the anvil, then it's got to burn through a lot more air. Its peak charge can be 10 times greater than a negative lightning strike," Keene says. A positive lightning strike can reach a Thor-worthy intensity of 1 billion volts, he adds. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501