These days we are seeing an unexpected phenomenon that is extreme thunder lightning.Lightning kills more people than cyclones in India, says the Earth Networks India Lightning Report, 2019. And it could increase as much as 12% with every 1 degree increase in global warming. According to LRIC report 18.5 mil lightning strikes were recorded in India between April 2020 to march 2021, which is 34 % higher than previous year. In India 1697 people died due to lighting between April 2020 to March 2021. Bihar witness 404 casualties, UP have 228 casualties. In one year Punjab 331 percent, Bihar 168%, Himachal 164% and Pondicherry witness 117% increas in lightning strike incidents. This is not mere a data but a worrying trend and giving a dark future perspective. Arctic which is a cold area research said that in 2010 average light strikes in this area is 35000, but in 2020 it is approx 240000. this is a devastating trend. These are some questions, which comes to our mind, why lightning incidents growing rapidly? Why we are facing sudden and extreme thunder lightning?.
Answer is " climate change." When I research about these incidents, found similar trends rising in all over the world, UK USA Alaska these countries are facing same extreme thunder lightning. Lightning is a fascinating phenomenon & storms are common and damage caused by lightning are highly localised so we gives less attention to this. Lightning is not only an indicator of climate change; it also affects the global climate directly. Lightning produces nitrogen oxides, which are strong greenhouse gases. As reported in the journal Science, we could expect to see a 12% increase in lightning activity for every 1°C of warming, meaning countries like the US could see a 50% increase in the number of strikes by the end of the century. In past several step taken by scientist communities about thunder lighting in 2017 a task force was formed by WMO and commission for climatology to study lightning trends. In India also a study published about growing sea temperature and thunderstorms between 2010 and 2020. This report indicates correlation between growing sea temperature and thunder lightning These are only few steps. we need a world level task team to study about this phenomenon. Thunderstorm patterns can’t be changed, but the protection is out there, with lightning detection systems acting as the only reliable and consistent way of issuing a lightning warning. Around 90% of thunderstorms are already producing lightning by the time they are within 12 miles (20 km), making a system an invaluable investment for a future of weather uncertainty
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