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
Split weather graphic with wind radar on the left and weather radar on the right. Strong wind fields and heavy precipitation over Central Europe. Depiction of an approaching storm depression.
Wednesday 7 January 2026

Wind, rain, and snow

Storm Goretti moving in
Split image showing cars driving through heavy snowfall on a snow-covered road with low visibility on the left, and a UK weather radar on the right with blue and pink snow and rain bands, a low pressure system marked with an L, and snow icons near Ireland, divided by a curved white line.
Thursday 8 January 2026

Full impact overnight

Storm Goretti causing disruption
Split image showing suburban rooftops under a blue sky with two smooth, lens-shaped lenticular clouds on the left, and a snow-covered path on the right with footprints, trees lining the edge, and two dogs walking at sunset, divided by a curved white line.
Sunday 18 January 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Peculiar clouds as snow melts away
All weather news
This might also interest you
plit image showing a double rainbow over a rocky shoreline on the left and sheep grazing in a green field under stormy clouds on the right.
Sunday 2 November 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mixed conditions on an unsettled week
Split weather map showing UK wind speeds in orange-red shades up to 40 mph on the left and warning levels in green-yellow on the right, with a central wind warning sign.
Wednesday 22 October 2025

Warnings active

Storm Benjamin impacts the UK
Wednesday 27 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Frontal system brings heavy rain
All articles
Weather & Radar
IE
Clima & Radar Brasil
Hava durumu & Radar Türkiye
Időjárás és Radar Magyarország
Καιρός & Ραντάρ Ελλάδα
Météo & Radar Belgique (Français)
Météo & Radar France
Meteo & Radar Italia
Meteo & Radar România
Météo & Radar Suisse (Français)
Meteo & Radars Latvija
OrasOnline Lietuva
Počasí & Radar Czechia
Počasie & Radar Slovensko
Pogoda & Radar Polska
Погода & Радар Україна (українська)
Tempo & Radar Portugal
Tiempo & Radar Argentina
Tiempo & Radar España
Vejr & Radar Danmark
Vreme & Radar Slovenija
Vreme & Radar Srbija
Vrijeme & Radar Bosna
Vrijeme & Radar Crna Gora
Vrijeme & Radar Hrvatska
Време & Радар България
Времето & Радар Macedonia
Weather & Radar India (English)
Weather & Radar United Kingdom
Weather & Radar USA (English)
Weather & Radar USA (Español)
Weer & Radar België (Nederlands)
Weer & Radar Nederland

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList