dry lightning

British

noun

lightning produced by a thunderstorm that is unaccompanied by rain

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Those areas could see some isolated dry lightning during the storm.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025

While the fire that ignited in August is now considered 98% contained, forecasters said the dry lightning strikes “will be a main concern.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 17, 2025

Forecasters had warned that a “monsoonal surge” kicking off Saturday would bring a strong chance for thunderstorms that could create gusty winds, dangerous dry lightning and even some brief downpours.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 25, 2025

Meteorologists say the biggest concern is dry lightning starting a fire, but there’s also a chance for flash flooding and debris flows.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2025

“It is kind of a dry lightning setup where you get the lightning that could start a fire but not the rain that would put it out,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023