High Frequency of Lightning in Brazil Prompts Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts

Earth Networks Total Lightning Network detected a strong storm moving through Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 25 February 2016. The above image shows that at times there were approximately 39.67 total lightning strikes per minute. Total Lightning is the sum of both in-cloud (purple) and cloud-to-ground (yellow) lightning strikes.

This high frequency of lightning, shown in the video above, prompted Earth Networks to send out over a dozen Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts for the area during the evening hours of 25 February. Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts, or DTA’s, are an important tool for preparing for frequent lightning, heavy rain, hail and damaging winds. They are represented by the purple polygons in the image below.

The video below shows the DTA’s in action as the storm moved eastward through the State of Rio de Janeiro. The colorful circles in the video are the detected cells of the storm.

Besides lightning, these dangerous thunderstorms brought heavy rains with them. Some parts of the Rio de Janeiro area experience approximately 102mm of rainfall on 25 February 2016. The below image taken from our radar alternative and shows the impressive rainfall for the region during the 24-hour period.