Lightning and thunderstorms
Italy 2024 review
Read our weather, climate and electrical analysis of thunderstorms in Italy in 2024.
2024 at a glance
Joris Royet, Chef de projet Météo, METEORAGE
A year within the normal range
With more than 630,000 cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes recorded in 2024, electrical activity in Italy remained within the normal climatic range.
August stands out clearly, accounting for more than a third of the annual activity, with 225,000 cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes recorded by the METEORAGE network.
More uniform values were recorded during June, July and September, with an average of about 100,000 cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes per month.
Electrical activity remained low in the spring, marking a slow start before the summer peak. It then decreased rapidly in the autumn, with very little activity in October, November and December.
Joris Royet, Weather Project Manager, METEORAGE.
Our European Lightning Detection Network (ELDN) detected in Italy, in 2024
Key facts
The day most struck by lightning
7 august 2024
The month most struck by lightning
August 2024
The town most struck by lightning
Rome
Focus on
August 2024, a very unstable month with numerous thunderstorms
by Joris Royet, Weather Project Manager, METEORAGE.
Barometric swamp-related thunderstorms
The barometric swamps, characterised by stagnant pressures around 1015 hPa without anticyclone or marked worsening, favoured random but locally intense convection. These favourable conditions gave rise to often stationary thunderstorms, capable of producing very high rainfall totals in a short period of time, accentuating localised flooding. Despite the lack of an established forcing, electrical activity can be intense under these disorganised systems.
Days of noteworthy thunderstorm activity
Among the most noteworthy thunderstorms, 7, 18, 27, and 28 August were characterised by intense electrical activity and precipitation concentrated over narrow areas. These localised thunderstorms had a significant impact, reflecting the recurring instability that characterised this exceptional month of August.
In summary, August 2024 illustrated the dynamics of barometric swamps, contributing to random but notable thunderstorm activity throughout Italy.
Cloud-ground (CG) activity on 7 August, the day with the highest number of lightning strikes in August.
On 7 August 2024, 35,617 cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes were detected, of which:
+ positive cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes: 3,810,
– negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes: 31,807.
Lightning strikes in Italy in 2024
In 2024, the cloud-to-ground lightning density per km² is 2.0946.
Seasonality of thunderstorms
Seasonal distribution of CG cloud-to-ground lightning flashes
The frequency, geographical distribution and intensity of thunderstorms vary with the seasons, depending on temperature, humidity and atmospheric dynamics.
In spring, thermal contrasts between cold and warm air set in and encourage the first convective thunderstorms, often accompanied by intense rain and sometimes hail or tornadoes, with electrical activity increasing as the season progresses.
In summer, they are more frequent and violent, fuelled by high temperatures and strong contrasts when cold drops pass through, generating thunderstorms that are sometimes supercellular, hence a peak in activity during this season.
Autumn sees a gradual reduction in electrical activity, but lows can still produce thunderstorms linked to transitions between air masses, particularly near waters that are still relatively warm.
In winter, although less frequent, thunderstorms can occur, often near the oceans or in regions where cold fronts meet warmer, more humid air.
Top 10 regions most struck by lightning
by number of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes
by lightning density of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes per km²/year
| 01. Veneto | 4.43 |
| 02. Lombardia | 3.85 |
| 03. Friuli Venezia Giulia | 3.16 |
| 04. Piemonte | 2.88 |
| 05. Emilia-Romagna | 2.41 |
| 06. Molise | 2.22 |
| 07. Marche | 1.99 |
| 08. Liguria | 1.92 |
| 09. Campania | 1.83 |
| 10. Trentino-Alto Adige | 1.71 |
Top 10 provinces most struck by lightning
by number of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes
by lightning density of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes per km²/year
| 01. Lecco | 7.73 |
| 02. Treviso | 6.92 |
| 03. Bergamo | 5.76 |
| 04. Monza e della Brianza | 5.22 |
| 05. Vicenza | 4.91 |
| 06. Rovigo | 4.87 |
| 07. Como | 4.86 |
| 08. Milano | 4.71 |
| 09. Padova | 4.59 |
| 10. Verona | 4.49 |
Top 10 towns most struck by lightning
by number of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes
by lightning density of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes per km²/year
| 01. Samone | 18.03 |
| 02. Ballabio | 16.37 |
| 03. Pecetto Torinese | 14.46 |
| 04. Veleso | 13.95 |
| 05. Roncola | 13.77 |
| 06. Aviatico | 13.74 |
| 07. Torino | 13.64 |
| 08. Giavera del Montello | 13.35 |
| 09. Selvino | 13.13 |
| 10. Borgaro Torinese | 13.11 |
Lightning strikes in Italy in recent years
Over the last 3 years
Monthly distribution of lightning strikes
Number of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes detected each month.
Over the last 10 years
Annual distribution of lightning strikes
Number of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes detected each year.
Annual distribution of thunder days
Number of thunder days detected annually.
Terminology
To help you better understand the information in this report, here are the definitions for some of the most frequently used terms.
Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flash
Discharge of current of a certain intensity circulating between the cloud and the ground. Abbreviated to CG (Cloud-to-Ground).
Lightning density
The best current representation of thunderstorm activity is lightning density, which is the number of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes per km² per year.
Lightning flash
All current discharges and electrical impulses from a lightning event. A lightning flash can occur within the same cloud (IC), between a cloud and the ground (CG) or between two clouds (CC). A lightning flash can be composed of one stroke or many strokes, which are current discharges and electrical impulses.
Thunder day
Each day that lightning was detected in a given area.
About this lightning report
The lightning report is based on data provided by METEORAGE’s lightning detection network (ELDN) in Europe.
The information we provide concerns cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes and lightning density.
To be able to compare these data with the data collected, METEORAGE counts the main current pulse circulating between the cloud and the ground, defined in this report by the term “Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flash”.
Our expertise draws on more than ten years of analysis, observation and data collected in Europe, and more broadly worldwide. We have over 37 years’ expertise in France.
The performance of our network has been validated scientifically and delivers the best possible results with:
- > 98% lightning flash detection,
- a median detection accuracy of 100 meters,
- > 90% distinction made between cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes and intra-cloud lightning flashes.
The METEORAGE network consists of more than 100 lightning sensors, calculators and a processing system that manages the databases. Our lightning sensors are based on the Vaisala technology, currently considered one of the best in the world. Our network achieves levels of performance validated by numerous scientific studies and publications.
This 2024 report is based on the most comprehensive source of information in Italy. The data, densities, rankings and thunder days in this report are dated from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.
