Relating to this question: Ensuring an endless war, and an endless stalemate

In a planet such as our Earth, what climate conditions and/or atmospheric changes would be required for the formation and continual existence of the Everboom - a perpetual cloud cover, where there exists a perpetual lightning storm, that covers the entire world, and blocks people from above from reaching below it, and vice versa, without serious protection.

I'm thinking about a 50 meter thick storm, but if this is too much or too little to come to formation, and to be a serious obstacle for people above and below to cross, I'll change it accordingly - please include this in your answer.

Edit1: People must be able to survive on this Earth, possibly in underground/high altitude floating facilities. So a Venus-like planet might be an interesting example, if it could sustain some breathable, not-melting-the-flesh-off-of-one's-bones atmosphere for the underground caves dwellers.

Unlike the previous question, no magic is allowed here and I'd like to keep technology/intelligent intervention to a minimum - I would prefer this to be a completely natural phenomenon (perhaps with some tech as the catalyst, if needs must).

If this is impossible, extra points if you can point me to something close to it that is feasible (but I don't want to be tagged as an idea generator, so this isn't really part of the question).

  • $\begingroup$ I suggest you look at Saturn, a planet with perpetual cloud cover and storms, to get an idea of the factors that contribute to something like the Everboom. $\endgroup$ – Isaac Kotlicky Jun 20 '17 at 12:00
  • $\begingroup$ There is a place in Venezuela where there are thunderstorms nearly every day $\endgroup$ – Fl.pf. Jun 20 '17 at 12:38
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    $\begingroup$ You aren't going to get a 50m thick thunderstorm, as the lightning is caused by convection, and needs (on Earth) about 8K meters or more elevation difference to build up charge. You also aren't going to get continuous Tstorm coverage, as the rising air has to come down somewhere. See e.g. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulonimbus_cloud $\endgroup$ – jamesqf Jun 20 '17 at 17:17
  • $\begingroup$ @jamesqf - the more the merrier (though I'll have to set the races up with some serious protection to get through the storm). About 8 kilometers... is this a minimum? Is there a usual average that we know of? $\endgroup$ – Nahshon paz Jun 21 '17 at 5:48
  • $\begingroup$ @Nahshon paz: I think the 8 km is about average for thunderstorm height. Asking on the Earth Science site might get you a better answer, though. The real problem is going to be having a breathable atmosphere at top & bottom. Protection isn't that much of an issue: I've been in any number of Tstorms in the Sierra Nevada & Rocky Mtns. Good rain gear and knowing how to avoid ligntning-prone areas is enough. Though I must say that it's interesting being on the side of a mountain watching lightning bolts zip by... $\endgroup$ – jamesqf Jun 21 '17 at 7:10

I'm thinking of continuous big volcanic eruptions.

Google year without summer volcano. Here's a bit of what happened in 1816 when Mt. Tambora erupted:



Dirty Thunderstorm

Dirty thunderstorm example

Electrical discharge can be generated by the ash, rock fragments, ice particles in a volcanic plume (a column of hot volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosphere during an explosive volcanic eruption).

Combine this with the water vapor caused by the incessant volcanic eruptions, you'll get Earth in its early stage.

Actually, this might be when your story start; history before mankind: Elves and Dwarves. Although this Everboom will slowly dissipate as the earth become more mature.

  • $\begingroup$ Oh, wow, that's cool (as lava and coolness go)! I'm gonna read some and see if I can work with this. I do wish for the elves and dwarfs to be able to breath $\endgroup$ – Nahshon paz Jun 21 '17 at 5:41

Look at the closest example of a rocky planet with perpetual cloud cover: Venus.

It is constantly covered by clouds, it has flabbergastingly strong winds and also a huge greenhouse effect. This, on top with sulfuric acid in the atmosphere, makes life on the planet impossible.

Since you want to have life on your planet, you are pretty much out of option if you stitch to visible light. If you make your living beings able to see in the infrared, they could experience a thick cloud cover while in the visible spectrum the sky would be just foggy.

  • $\begingroup$ Great answer. It would be interesting though what Venus would be like if it was as far away from the sun as earth. $\endgroup$ – Raditz_35 Jun 20 '17 at 12:39
  • $\begingroup$ Can't breath on venus, but I suppose we can live underground if the atmosphere was breathable. Interesting $\endgroup$ – Nahshon paz Jun 20 '17 at 13:03
  • $\begingroup$ @Nahshonpaz It is assumed that living above the clouds is the most realistic/viable scenario for Venus as far as I know $\endgroup$ – Raditz_35 Jun 20 '17 at 13:12
  • $\begingroup$ Hey @Raditz_35 , "living above the clouds is the most realistic/viable scenario for Venus" any links or other references you might share will be most welcome! $\endgroup$ – Nahshon paz Jun 21 '17 at 5:43
  • $\begingroup$ @Nahshonpaz, give a look at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Venus $\endgroup$ – L.Dutch - Reinstate Monica Jun 21 '17 at 5:49

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