The formation of striations in a normal glow discharge has been correlated with a relaxation‐type phenomenon occurring at the cathode dark space‐negative‐glow interface and caused by cathode instabilities. A beamlike stream of electrons, in excess of that number necessary to maintain the normal glow brought about by cathode instabilities, is postulated to cross the cathode‐fall region and to interact with neutrals in the negative glow causing a surplus of positive ions at the interface between the cathode dark space and the negative glow. This group of positive ions constitutes a positive striation which in turn is accelerated toward the cathode. The experimentally observed times for these striations to cross the cathode‐fall region give a velocity of approximately 104cm/sec, which is in good agreement with other observations of positiveions striation velocities.