Severe weather is a huge public safety issue for India.
In fact, lightning kills over 2,000 people in India each year. That’s more than floods and cyclones, even though you might hear about them more on the news.
Why does India have such a big lightning problem? India is located in a prime place for lightning. The nearby equator and Indian Ocean give off a lot of heat and moisture – perfect for generating convection and dangerous thunderstorms.
Lightning is a huge public safety issue because severe weather safety awareness levels vary by area and income levels. There is also an overall lack of lightning warning tools that enable people to respond in time. Those working outdoors in the fields are especially at a high risk for lightning injuries and fatalities.
What’s included in the report?
You can read the 2019 India Lightning Report by click the image below.
Our India Lightning Report differs from other data on lightning in the country because it comes from our total lightning detection network.
When you think of lightning, you probably imagine a bolt striking the ground. However, cloud-to-ground lightning strikes make up just a tiny fraction of all lightning strikes.
Total lightning is the combination of cloud-to-ground and in-cloud flashes. In-cloud lightning makes up the majority of all lightning pulses (72.6% in India so far this year) and therefore is a key indicator of severe weather.
The Earth Networks Global Lightning Network monitors the skies 24/7, 365 days a year for total lightning, providing a more detailed look at lightning events and other forms of dangerous severe weather.
When our network detects lightning, this global network of lightning sensors automatically issues severe weather alerts to impacted areas. This helps saves lives every day in places like India and helps us plan ahead for the next severe weather event.
You can learn more about our lightning detection capabilities by checking out our Total Lightning Network page. We operate the world’s most technologically advanced total lightning detection network with 1,700+ lightning detection sensors deployed worldwide. Click the image below.
You can also learn more about lightning by heading over to our Lightning Fact page. It’s time to test your knowledge and see how much you really know about lightning, because let’s face it: There are a lot of lightning myths out there. Click the image below to get started.