The lightning spell when dropped, will generate random lightning bolts around its 7-tile circle.
It is only on the tile where you exactly dropped them will it cause its actual total damage.
That is how its damage is decided.
Each lightning spell level have different damage capacities.
To know your lightning spell’s total damage, you can view its information on the spell factory.
The most commonly defensive structures targeted by lightning spells are the mortars, wizard towers and the air defenses.
Mortars and wizard tower can be destroyed by using two lightning spells.
Air defenses however will require three lightning spells.