A rare atmospheric phenomenon has been captured in the skies over southern France, where two red sprites appeared high above a powerful thunderstorm. The brief flashes of red light, which occur far above storm clouds, were photographed by weather forecaster and photographer Yohan Laurito, offering a glimpse of a phenomenon that is rarely seen with the naked eye.
The unusual display was reportedly linked to powerful storm systems developing between Spain’s Balearic Islands and Catalonia. Sprites occur at such high altitudes that they can sometimes be observed from hundreds of kilometres away under favourable conditions. Unlike ordinary lightning, which forms within or below storm clouds, these flashes appear in the upper atmosphere, dozens of kilometres above the ground. Watch the video here: A post shared by Florian Riou 🇫🇷 (@florian.riou) Red sprites are brief electrical discharges that occur high above powerful thunderstorms. They belong to a category of atmospheric phenomena known as transient luminous events, which are short-lived bursts of light triggered by electrical activity in storm systems. Their red colour is caused by nitrogen molecules in the upper atmosphere becoming excited during the electrical discharge and emitting light. Sprites can take different forms, including vertical columns, branching structures and shapes resembling giant jellyfish hanging above thunderstorms. The phenomenon occurs much higher than conventional lightning. sprites emerge in the upper atmosphere, approaching the region where space begins While lightning is generally confined to storm clouds or the atmosphere below them. Capturing a red sprite requires more than simply pointing a camera at a thunderstorm. Photographers need suitable weather conditions, a clear view of the upper atmosphere and carefully adjusted camera settings to record the brief flashes. The first photographic evidence of sprites was obtained only in the late 1980s. Laurito’s photographs are part of his continuing interest in storms and unusual atmospheric light phenomena. Based in Brignoles, he tracks local weather conditions and produces forecasts through Meteo-Varoise.
Because they are faint and disappear almost instantly, despite their striking appearance, they are difficult to observe. Laurito, founder of the local weather forecasting group Meteo-Varoise, captured the images shortly before 3 am local time over the Var region, near the town of Brignoles. These flashes typically appear between 40 and 90 kilometres above the Earth’s surface and last only a fraction of a second, often just a few milliseconds. He has also worked as a weather specialist with the Var fire department since 2019.
Since then, advances in camera technology have made it easier for researchers and photographers to document these elusive displays.
