Does lightning always strike the ground? No, lightning does not always strike the ground. In reality, there are three main kinds of lightning in nature, which are distinguishable on the basis of where they occur. The lightning on the ground is seen in the case of cloud to ground lightning.

How often does lightning touch the ground?

About 100 lightning bolts strike the Earth's surface every second That's about 8 million per day and 3 billion each year.

What is lightning called when it doesn't hit the ground?

There are many flashes which do not reach ground. Most of these remain within the cloud and are called intra-cloud (IC) lightning flashes. Cloud flashes sometimes have visible channels that extend out into the air around the storm (cloud-to-air or CA), but do not strike the ground.