Sparse thunderstorm activity in Bavaria
In the heart of Germany, the Free State of Bavaria has seen an unexpected decrease in lightning activity during its thunderstorm season this year.
According to data from Aldis/Blids, the organisation responsible for recording lightning strikes, the first seven months of 2022 have seen no recorded value below 30,000, a stark contrast to the three previous years. This trend suggests that 2022 could be the least lightning-prone year in Bavaria in two decades.
Aldis/Blids only counts ground strikes, not discharges between clouds, and each lightning strike is counted only once, regardless of the number of discharges or 'flashes' it may contain.
The most lightning strikes in Bavaria in 2022 occurred in June, with 10,739 strikes, followed by July with 6,496 strikes. The scarcity of lightning in the following months can be attributed to the weather conditions in the Free State.
June, July, August, and May account for more than 90% of lightning measurements in Bavaria. This year, however, the weather has been less warm and humid than usual, conditions that primarily cause lightning. The cooler weather in July, following a hot start, may have contributed to the reduced number of lightning strikes.
The period from April to early July in 2022 was much drier than normal, according to the German Weather Service. This dry spell, combined with cooler temperatures, seems to have created unfavourable conditions for the occurrence of lightning.
Despite the dry spell, there were still lightning strikes in July. However, the overall number of strikes remains significantly lower than in previous years.
The precise reasons for Bavaria’s unusually low lightning strike frequency in the first half of 2022 are not explained in the retrieved information. Further specialized meteorological data or regional climate studies would be needed to answer this question definitively.
While the specific causes remain unclear, it's important to note that fewer lightning strikes in a region over a period typically result from reduced thunderstorm activity. This can be caused by changes in atmospheric instability, humidity, temperature patterns, or larger climate oscillations.
As the summer continues, residents of Bavaria may be in for a less dramatic thunderstorm season than usual. However, it's always important to stay safe during storms, regardless of the number of lightning strikes.
Scientists could apply environmental science principles to analyze the weather data and determine the factors causing the reduced lightning activity in Bavaria this year. It's possible that the unfavorable weather conditions, such as cooler temperatures and less humidity, may have contributed to the application of these principles and the subsequent decrease in thunderstorm activity, resulting in fewer lightning strikes.
