42,755 lightning strikes were recorded across France this Saturday, June 29.
It is therefore the “most electric day of 2024”, for the moment, notes Keraunos, the French Observatory of storms and tornadoes.
The storms had triggered an orange alert in 34 departments.
A record day. This Saturday, June 29, was the day “the most electric” since the beginning of the year, announced the French Observatory of Storms and Tornadoes, Keraunos. It is indeed 42,755 lightning strikes that were recorded on this single day, all over France. In total, 85 departments were affected although it was Haute-Marne, Gironde and Meuse that were the most struck by lightning.
A peak between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
In the Haute-Marne department, 6,091 lightning strikes were counted. There were 3,927 in Gironde and 2,966 in Meuse. All departments combined, the peak was recorded between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., with 12,855 lightning strikes during this period alone. At the same time, Météo France had issued orange alerts for the day in 34 departments in anticipation of major storms throughout the country. “Precipitation associated with thunderstorms was sometimes intensewith accumulations locally exceeding 70 mm in Tarn and even 100 mm in Haute-Marne.Keraunos noted.
Since then, Météo France has lifted its warning and is announcing cooler weather for this Sunday, June 30. The risk of thunderstorms should nevertheless persist in Rhône-Alpes and showers are still possible from the Grand Est to the Massif Central, according to the meteorological institute’s daily bulletin.
