# Lightning during volcano eruptions.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightning-during-volcano-eruptions/355893>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 8, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightning-during-volcano-eruptions/355893 "2006-05-08T15:28:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightning-during-volcano-eruptions/355893/1 "2006-05-08T15:28:42Z")

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I’ve seen a few documentaries about volcanic eruptions showing lightning during CGI shots of eruptions. Ignoring storms co-inciding with the eruption, is there anything that would cause the lightning to happen?

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightning-during-volcano-eruptions/355893/2 "2006-05-08T15:54:58Z")

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While we’re waiting for a geologist to drop in, here’s [an article](http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5080955-111414,00.html) on volcanic lightning and an alternative theory as to why it occurs.