Half a million lightning strikes and 108 days of thunderstorms

Bragança had the largest number of electrical discharges, 61,772, of which 4,798 fell to the ground. In the interior, Guarda became the second area with the highest number of electrical discharges (48,629), of which 3,005 reached land, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere. Of the municipalities most affected, Idanha a Nova (800 discharges fell to the ground) and Bragança (727).

Regarding the spatial distribution of the number of days with thunderstorms, the areas that stand out are Vila Real (54 days), Bragança and Viana do Castelo (both 50 days).

Summer brings lightning strikes
Summer and autumn were the seasons when the greatest electrical activity was recorded in the atmosphere, respectively: 36% and 35% of discharges. In spring it was 27.3%, in winter 1.8%. For several months, June led the way with 10,633, followed by September (9,764) and May (8,091). September 2 stands out as the day with the most lightning strikes, with 2,977 strikes detected by the IPMA detection network. Regarding the hourly distribution of lightning, the concentration of lightning occurs in the afternoon, with maximum events between 15:00 and 17:00. When broken down by month, the 108 days with thunderstorms last year were led by May with 18 days, followed by June and October, both with 16 days.

Six detectors from Spain complete the network.
The IPMA network for the detection and localization of electrical discharges in the atmosphere consists of 5 detectors located throughout the continent (Bragança, Braga, Castelo Branco, Santa Cruz and Olhão). In the detection and localization process, this network includes data from the AEMET (Spanish State Meteorological Agency) network, which has 6 detectors along the border with Portugal in the provinces of Ourense, Zamora, Salamanca, Caceres, Badajoz and Huelva. IPMA emphasizes that this system allows you to determine your location with a maximum accuracy of about 250 meters.

Climate change brings even more thunder
A growing number of scientists argue that climate change is creating favorable conditions for more thunderstorms and more wildfires. In Spain, a team of scientists from the Andalusian Institute of Astrophysics investigated the connection between lightning and fires in the United States. The data used covers the period from 1992 to 2018 and shows that thunder caused 90% of the 5,600 fires. Scientists admit that by the end of the century the loudness of thunder will increase by 40% compared to 2011.