ribbon lightning

ribbon lightning

[′rib·ən ‚līt·niŋ] (geophysics) Ordinary streak lightning that appears to be spread horizontally into a ribbon of parallel luminous streaks when a very strong wind is blowing at right angles to the observer's line of sight; successive strokes of the lightning flash are then displaced by small angular amounts and may appear to the eye or camera as distinct paths. Also known as band lightning; fillet lightning.