Lightning is a discharge phenomenon in the atmosphere between clouds and the ground or between clouds with opposite electric charges. Lightning can also occur during volcanic eruptions or sandstorms.
The damage caused by lightning strikes is significant and can sometimes be lethal.
Lightning from a cloud to the ground can be deadly – (Photo: CCO).
What Types of Lightning Are There?
Cloud-to-cloud lightning is the most common type of lightning. This form poses a danger to nearby aircraft.
In cloud-to-ground lightning (CG), the lightning bolt extends down to the ground, striking trees, buildings, or other objects.
The number of lightning strikes between clouds is 10-15 times greater than that of CG strikes; however, CG strikes are more dangerous and can be fatal. On average, CG strikes cause 20-30 deaths and injure hundreds of people each year in the United States.
Meanwhile, ball lightning is an unusual type of lightning that can also occur during thunderstorms. Ball lightning appears as a small, floating sphere and lasts for a few seconds. Ball lightning is very rare.
Thunderstorms Increase by 43% Due to Climate Change
According to rmets.org, there are about 2,000 thunderstorms occurring at any given moment around the world, with 100 lightning strikes per second and 8 million strikes per day.
Humidity and warm air are crucial for thunderstorms, which is why they are more common in spring and summer; lightning also appears more frequently during this period.
The increase in global temperatures due to climate change makes the air warmer, allowing it to hold more moisture. Humidity increases by approximately 7% for every 1°C rise in temperature. This enhances the likelihood of thunderstorms, leading to more intense storms and increased lightning activity.
Lightning strikes New York City, USA – (Photo: Getty Images).
According to the journal Science, lightning activity increases by 12% with every 1°C rise in temperature. This means that countries like the United States could see a 50% increase in lightning strikes by the end of this century.
A study published in the journal Nature Communications in February 2023 reported that the total number of lightning strikes has increased by 43% globally.
Where is the most lightning in the world?
Lightning occurs most frequently in tropical and subtropical latitudes, typically occurring over land rather than water and occurs more frequently in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere.
The areas with the highest lightning frequency lie between the equator and the 38th parallel north and south, with Africa being the continent with the highest lightning strike frequency, according to meteoswiss.admin.ch. Other lightning-prone areas include South America, North America, Asia, and Oceania.
In South America, there are 5 hotspots for lightning strikes, primarily in Colombia and Venezuela. Lake Maracaibo (covering an area of 13,210 km2) in Venezuela is the place that experiences the most lightning in the world, with up to 260 stormy nights per year. Each year, Lake Maracaibo is struck by lightning an average of 233 times/km2.
8 out of the 10 areas with the most lightning strikes in Africa are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With an annual frequency of 205 strikes/km2, Kabare district in Congo ranks second after Lake Maracaibo.
In Asia, the 3 regions with the most thunderstorms and lightning are all in Pakistan. Meanwhile, the annual lightning strike frequency in the capital Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) is 93 strikes/km2.
In the United States, according to insideclimatenews.org, approximately 25 million lightning strikes occur across the country each year.
In Vietnam, information from the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology indicates that the thunderstorm season is relatively long, with an average of 100 stormy days each year and an average of 250 storm hours per year. Each year, Vietnam experiences 2 million lightning strikes.
