dear du weather people .

[texasfiddler]

3. I am not a weather professional.

I am an electrical engineer and I install lightning protection systems per NFPA 780. A lot of terms get used like leader step, streamer, and return stroke. It all basically describes the process of development of an electric field and potential difference between clouds and cloud/ground, ionization of air, and discharge. I compare the complete circuit like the charging of a capacitor over time (evaporation, storm cloud formation). I see the leader step like a screwdriver placed across the capacitor (ionization/dielectric breakdown of air leader step) and the return stroke as the current discharge through the screw driver.