electrical discharge - a discharge of electricity

atmospheric phenomenon - a physical phenomenon associated with the atmosphere

elves - an acronym for emissions of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources; extremely bright extremely short (less than a msec) electrical flashes forming a huge ring (up to 400 km diameter) in the ionosphere

blue jets, jets - atmospheric discharges (lasting 10 msec) bursting from the tops of giant storm clouds in blue cones that widen as they flash upward

lightning - abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light

red sprites, sprites - atmospheric electricity (lasting 10 msec) appearing as globular flashes of red (pink to blood-red) light rising to heights of 60 miles (sometimes seen together with elves)