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How to identify a thunderstorm?
Outdoors is the most dangerous place to be during a thunderstorm. Therefore
always keep an eye on the weather: Look for cumulus clouds with a typical
„cauliflower“ or “candyfloss” shape that may form towering clouds. Muggy
weather with increasing wind, rolls of thunder, sheet lightning and falling air
pressure are all signs that a thunderstorm is approaching.
How often does lightning strike?
Each lightning strike may consist of several partial lightning strikes. During the
summer months, Germany experiences more than one million partial lightning
strikes each month. On a day with a high thunderstorm activity, more than
200,000 partial lightning strikes may occur. Annually, more than 95% of all
lightning flashes occur during the thunderstorm months May to September. In
Germany the number of thunderstorm days and lightning strikes per square
kilometre – also referred to as ground flash density – increases from the North
to the South.
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