During an observation, occasional lightning is noted 8 miles north, but no thunder is heard. What is reported in column 9 and column 14?

In this scenario, the correct reporting involves understanding how to document lightning and thunderstorms in aviation weather observations. When lightning is observed but thunder is not heard, the report acknowledges the lightning while indicating that it is not part of a thunderstorm cell that is affecting the area.

In column 9, which pertains to significant weather phenomena, "nothing" is reported. This indicates that, while occasional lightning is observed, it does not constitute a thunderstorm as there is no accompanying thunder to classify it as such. Therefore, there are no significant weather conditions that need to be indicated in that column for this particular observation.

Column 14 requires reporting on the presence of lightning. The use of "OCNL LTG VC N" accurately communicates that occasional lightning (abbreviated as "OCNL LTG") is visible in the vicinity (noted by "VC" for vicinity) towards the north, specifically 8 miles away. The use of the directional “N” denotes that the lightning is occurring to the north of the observation point.

Overall, this choice thoroughly captures the nuances of the observation: lightning is present but does not meet the criteria for reporting as a thunderstorm, allowing for a clear and accurate representation of the weather conditions in the observation documentation.