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Australia is locked into a stormy weather pattern that will generate prolific lightning every day this week, possibly causing around 10 million lightning strikes across the country by week’s end.
Monday kicked the week off with more than 1.4 million lightning strikes over the Australian region, some of which were produced by a destructive thunderstorm that tore a roof off a building in Queensland.
Image: Lighting over Uluru on Monday, November 11, 2024. Source: @hummerstonneil / Instagram.
A combination of abundant atmospheric moisture and a series of low pressure troughs and cold fronts will continue to cause widespread thunderstorm activity over the Australian region each day for the rest of this week.
Monday gave an indication of how much lightning the weather pattern currently in place across Australia can produce. There is a good chance that the Australian region will continue to see close to or above 1 million strikes per day for the rest of this week, meaning a weekly lightning count of around 8 to 10 million is likely.
Video: Lightning strikes over Uluru on Sunday, November 10, 2024. Source: @lauren_brennecke / Instagram
Late-spring is typically an active time for thunderstorms in Australia. Last year, more than 40 million lightning strikes were detected over Australia last November.
Image: Observed lightning density in November 2023. Source: Weatherzone Total Lightning Network
This November is once again proving to be an incredibly lightning-active month for the Australian region. One reason for this prolific lightning is enhanced atmospheric moisture over the continent, which is a result of:
- Above-average sea surface temperatures around Australia causing more evaporation
- A positive Southern Annular Mode (SAM) allowing more moisture to flow over Australia from the east
With so much lightning yet to strike over Australia this week, be sure to keep a close eye on the latest severe thunderstorm warnings and fire warnings (lightning can start fires) in your state or territory.
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