05-07-2025
St. Elmo's Fire, it's more than just a classic movie
St. Elmo's Fire is a term you may have heard before because of a 1985 "Brat Pack" movie. St. Elmo's fire is a somewhat rare type of weather, too.
A look at the rare type of weather known as a "St. Elmo's Fire."
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St. Elmo's fire is a discharge of electricity in the Earth's atmosphere. It looks sort of like lightning, but it can appear in different colors.
The National Weather Service says this phenomenon happens when a sharp object comes into contact with areas with an extraordinarily high electric field and a large number of electrons.
You will notice it has a weird name, and that gives some clues to where it was first noticed.
The statue of St. Eramus of Formia, a patron saint of sailors
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It is named St. Elmo's Fire after St. Erasmus of Formia, one of the patron saints of sailors. Ships would see St. Elmo's fire on masts when out to sea. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says this electric glow is known as a corona discharge. It occurs when the air surrounding a conductive object is briefly ionized by the electrically charged environment.
An illustration of a ship experiencing St. Elmo's Fire
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While St. Elmo's fire and lightning may look similar, there are differences.
While St. Elmo's Fire and lightning can look very similar, there are differences.
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Jase Bernhardt, an associate professor and director of sustainability at Hofstra University, told CBS News, in a previous report, that lightning is a direct movement of electrons from the cloud to the ground. St. Elmo's fire is like a sparking effect, where electrons cover a much smaller distance.
The view of a St. Elmo's Fire from the cockpit of a plane
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Ships are not the only location where St. Elmo's fire can show up.
Planes, utility poles, the tops of tall buildings, church spires, and even the tips of umbrellas can have St. Elmo's Fire!
When this phenomenon shows up, there is usually a strong likelihood of lightning. That means it is time to get indoors until the atmosphere settles down. St. Elmo's fire isn't necessarily dangerous itself, but it is usually an indicator that the ingredients for lightning are around you, though.
It is best not to take a chance by staying outside. For planes or ships, it is usually not dangerous either. The Hong Kong Observatory reports that seeing St. Elmo's Fire was thought to be lucky because you were being protected by St. Erasmus of Formia.
However, if you are on open water, it is time to get inside the ship if you can to avoid any bad luck that lightning might bring.
