Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
    Home / Weather News /

    It's in the forecast: Eight facts about lightning

15:30
12 April 2023

It's in the forecast
Eight facts about lightning

lightning

With thunder and lightning returning to the forecast today, did you know these fascinating facts?

Here are some curious facts about lightning:

  • There are over 100 lightning strikes every second around the world, leading to over 8.6 million lightning strikes every day. That’s a lot of electricity.
  • In the UK and Ireland, lightning is most common from May to August.
  • The south, and east of both the UK and Ireland are more prone to lightning than other areas.
  • Potentially dangerous cloud-to-ground strikes make up only one-quarter of all lightning generated by thunderstorms.
  • Most other incidences of lightning are within the cloud, and this is known as sheet lightning.
  • Lightning is unsurprisingly hotter than the sun. On average, lightning can be as hot as 30,000 degrees. That’s five times hotter than the sun!
  • The phrase “lightning never strikes the same place twice” is actually not correct. Lightning will strike the same places multiple times. The Empire State Building in New York gets struck about 23 times every year.
  • Lastly, while 85% of lightning strike victims are men, women's fatality rate is greater.

Have you witnessed both types of lightning? Share your shots here!

How do thunderstorms develop?read more
Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Marine heatwave could affect our weather too. Wetter days to come?. . . Wednesday 15 July 2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026

Wetter days to come?

Marine heatwave could affect our weather too
Heatwave keeps a firm grip on Europe. Around 40°C in places. . . Monday 13 July 2026
A collage featuring a temperature radar map of Europe and a fire-fighting aircraft in action over a forest fire. In the centre, a heat symbol warns of persistently high temperatures.
Monday 13 July 2026

Around 40°C in places

Heatwave keeps a firm grip on Europe
Violent storms impacting northern Italy. Hail and storm damage. . . Thursday 16 July 2026
A weather map showing thunderstorms over northern Italy and a photograph of large hailstones in a hand.
Thursday 16 July 2026

Hail and storm damage

Violent storms impacting northern Italy
All weather news
This might also interest you
Seasonal warmth between spring thunder. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday 19 April 2026
Split image showing coastal sunset with layered lenticular clouds over rooftops and palm trees on the left, and a green valley with river and hills under soft daylight on the right.
Sunday 19 April 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Seasonal warmth between spring thunder
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList