Certain regions much more affected This is where lightning strikes most frequently
Severe thunderstorms swept across Switzerland on Sunday. Which cantons are most frequently affected by thunder and lightning?
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- There were around 55,000 lightning discharges over Switzerland on Sunday - there were no injuries.
- Thunderstorms are caused by heat and humidity, which is why they occur more frequently in the summer months.
- Mountain regions, where warm air also flows in, are particularly affected.
After a summer that was mixed for German-speaking Switzerland, there was a hot day at the start of September. On the downside, there were heavy thunderstorms in the evening.
As reported by "MeteoNews", around 55,000 lightning discharges were registered in Switzerland. Various cantons reported numerous emergency calls received on Sunday evening during the thunderstorm.
In Roggwil BE, a stork on a roof was struck by lightning, as reported by blick.ch. Otherwise, no injuries have been reported as a result of the thunderstorm.
Most lightning discharges were recorded in the canton of Zurich with just over 11,000, followed by Lucerne with 9,000 and St. Gallen with around 7,000.
How thunderstorms develop
Thunderstorms are not unusual at this time of year. They are caused by heat and humidity. The air rises and thunderclouds form. In addition to thunder and lightning, thunderstorms are often accompanied by rain showers or hail. There can also be strong gusts of wind.
When it comes to lightning, a distinction must be made between cloud and ground lightning. Cloud lightning only discharges in the clouds and does not strike the earth's surface. This is the case with ground lightning - which can also lead to damage.
According to "MeteoSwiss", thunderstorms are difficult to predict. Although they can be analyzed thanks to modern technology, it is not possible to predict them.
This is where most thunderstorms occur
The reason for this is that these weather phenomena occur locally. "MeteoSwiss" assumes that central Switzerland is exposed to increased thunderstorm activity due to the Naples region.
When warm, moist air flows from the southwest towards the Central Plateau, it rises in the Napf region. Heat is released and the upward movement of the air is accelerated.
This condition is particularly common in mountain regions in summer. According to "MeteoSchweiz", the Alpine chain also contributes to the formation of thunderstorms. The warm Mediterranean air flows over the Alps and is lifted into the air more quickly.
This is why, in addition to Ticino, southern Grisons is also particularly exposed: A particularly high number of lightning strikes are recorded in the Misox.
Most lightning strikes occur in the mountain regions
This is also confirmed by the data from "BLIDS", which locates lightning in the DACH region. On average, lightning strikes are most frequent each year in the Geenz area of the cantons of Bern and Lucerne, where the Napf area is located, in Ticino and Graubünden. Basel-Stadt and Geneva are the cantons with the lowest average number of lightning strikes.
Lightning strikes are most frequent in the summer months. July comes first, followed by June and August. In winter, thunderstorms are rather rare.
According to "BLIDS", there has been an average of around 44,000 lightning strikes per year in Switzerland over the past 20 years. "MeteoSwiss" estimates this figure to be even higher, between 60,000 and 80,000. Cloud lightning is not included in these statistics, however, and the figures would be two to three times higher.
