2018: highest lightning activity ever recorded in France

In 2018, the Meteorage company has recorded in France only more than 725,000 lightning discharges. Last year reached a record lightning activity, ahead of 1995 (697,000 discharges) and 1994 663 337 discharges). Lightning data are collected for 30 years and 2018 ranks first.

There is an obvious relationship with global warming phenomenon since 2018 was also in France exceptionally warm. Scientists estimate that 1°C of average temperature raise results into a 10% increase of lightning discharges. With the current trends leading to a 2 to 3°C average temperature increase by the end of the century, lightning discharges may grow by approx 30%. Lightning is already causing more casualties in the USA than other meteorological phenomenons such as hurricanes or tornadoes.

Risk will keep on increasing, due to the more frequent lightning discharges and the increasing electron-magnetic sensibility of our IT equipment. Requirement for reliable protection systems will keep on growing. INDELEC is investing heavily into his LiRi Research Center to develop future solutions to face these new challenges.