Thunderstorm

A thunderstorm is a weather condition which takes place randomly during some rain- or snowfalls. All changes from these weathers apply, but since lightning occurs and the light level falls below 7, thunderstorms are distinct. Even in the middle of the daytime, hostile mobs will be able to spawn. However, far fewer mobs will spawn relative to night since it is just barely dark enough for them to spawn.

Lightning is a lethal element to the storm. It strikes randomly across the map, creating brief fires. While most are put out almost immediately by the rain, it will once in awhile ignite wood and other flammable blocks successfully. Lightning striking uses the same sound as TNT or a Creeper exploding.



Effects

 * Thunderstorms are much darker than normal rain, at light level 7 or less. This is dark enough to spawn hostile mobs.
 * Lightning creates fire where it strikes. The accompanying rain can usually put out fires before they spread. Overhangs can prevent rain from putting out lightning fires, causing the fire to spread.
 * If Lightning strikes a pig, it morphs into a zombie pigman.
 * If lightning strikes a creeper, it becomes supercharged and has a much more powerful explosion.
 * Being struck by lightning or standing near a lightning strike deals two and a half hearts of damage, not including damage from the fire.

Trivia

 * If lightning manages to strike a portal frame, it will activate the portal.
 * Strangely, you can sleep in a bed during a lightning storm, regardless of the time of day.
 * If lightning strikes a boat, the boat will disappear without dropping anything, as opposed to 2 sticks and 3 planks.
 * Lightning, unlike other weather, appears to have no image in the game's files for use as its texture; this suggests that the appearance of lightning is written directly into Minecraft's source code. The likely reasons for this are twofold: lightning is a solid color which make coding its appearance without a texture easier; it allows the shape of the bolt to be more dynamic so the bolt can follow a more realistic path to the ground.
 * If lightning hits a sheep, it will not get sheared.