Pilot streamer

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-007949",
  "term": "Pilot streamer",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definition": "A narrow, luminous discharge that precedes the main lightning stroke in a stepped leader, extending from the cloud towards the ground. This faint, ionized channel propagates in a series of discrete steps, creating a path for the subsequent, much brighter return stroke. It is characterized by its relatively slow propagation speed compared to the return stroke, typically around 10^5 meters per second.",
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/pilot-streamer/"
}