Intense Bolt Surge: Brandenburg Witnesses 26,200 Lightning Occurrences
Germany Experiences Unusually Low Number of Lightning Strikes in Summer 2021
This summer, Germany has witnessed a significantly lower number of lightning strikes compared to the 15-year average. The total number of strikes recorded from June to July 2021 was approximately 5,000, which is significantly below the usual average that ranges from 50,000 to 60,000 strikes for the same period.
The factors contributing to this unusual decrease in lightning activity include weather patterns and atmospheric conditions, lack of moisture and thunderstorm triggers, and climate variability. The summer of 2021 was marked by a prolonged heatwave and drought in Germany, leading to stable atmospheric conditions with less convection and fewer thunderstorms capable of producing lightning.
Reduced rainfall and dry soil conditions also limited the moisture availability needed for thunderstorm development, which is essential for lightning generation. Climate variability, such as the occurrence of persistent high-pressure systems, can lead to periods of suppressed lightning activity.
Brandenburg, one of the German federal states, experienced 26,200 lightning strikes in June and July, making it the fifth highest among the states. Bavaria, however, leads the pack with 108,900 recorded strikes, the most among all states. Interestingly, July was the second most common month for lightning in Brandenburg, while June was the month with the most strikes.
Berlin, the capital city, had fewer lightning strikes than Bremen and Hamburg. A total of 530 lightning strikes were counted in Berlin, which is around 60% below the 15-year average. This low number of lightning strikes is not limited to Brandenburg but is a nationwide phenomenon in Germany.
The low number of lightning strikes is not typical for the summer season and is attributed to the lack of large-scale thunderstorm systems. The company reported the low number of lightning strikes in Germany. While climate change broadly tends to increase lightning frequency in some regions, local variability and seasonal weather disruptions can lead to periods of suppressed lightning activity.
- The low number of lightning strikes recorded in Germany during summer 2021 could be due to the influence of weather patterns and atmospheric conditions on weather-forecasting.
- The weather-forecasting models might have underestimated the number of lightning strikes this summer, given the significant decrease in lightning activity in comparison to the 15-year average in Germany.
