AEM 2024 Lightning Report Shows Shifting Lightning Landscape

Would you believe there were 459 million lightning pulses in the U.S. during 2024? AEM released its 2024 U.S. Lightning Report, showcasing a changing lightning landscape for America.

Key Findings:

• The 80 million lightning flashes across the U.S. was a 17.7% decrease from the previous year.

• After an particularly active severe storm season, Midwestern states recorded lightning activity more like the Southeast, including Iowa and Illinois making their way into the top ten states with the highest lightning density.

• Florida retained its top position with 76 flashes per square mile, followed by Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

• St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, led with a flash density of 266 flashes per square mile, significantly surpassing other counties nationwide.

"The appearance of Illinois and Iowa among the states with the highest annual flash density represents one of the most interesting shifts in lightning activity we've seen in years," said Dr. Elizabeth DiGangi, a lightning scientist at AEM. "While the Southeast and Gulf Coast regions traditionally dominate our annual rankings, 2024's data indicates another way severe weather patterns are evolving in the U.S."