Did you know that lightning strikes earth about 8 million times a day and 3 billion times per year?

We often see thunderstorms around Kentuckiana during the Spring and Summer months and that can often come with a lot of lightning. However, compared to other places in the US and especially across the world; the number of lightning strikes we see here is much less.

So, you may ask, where is the lightning capital of the world? The USA?

The USA Lightning Capital

First, let's start in the US. In the past and in known popular belief, it was well known that Florida, specifically Central Florida near the Orlando area. Florida still narrowly holds the title in the US per Vaisala's Interactive Global Lightning Density Map, with around 83 lightning events per square kilometer every year. 

However, Oklahoma is also making a close run at trying to take that title as well, with just behind Florida at nearly 79 lightning events a year per square mile. 

What about Kentucky?

While we still experience less lightning than the two states mentioned above and most in the Deep South, Kentucky still experiences around 45 lightning events per year per square mile. 

Of course, a lot of that data is based off of square mile and not just the amount of lightning strikes that happen each year in the state, as that would give an unfair competitive advantage to much larger states like Texas.

Lightning Capital Of The World

Yes there are many places in the USA that experience a lot of lightning like Oklahoma and Florida for example. However, that is tiny compared to the amount at the location I am about to tell you about.

Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela earns the top spot of lightning capital of the world. 

So, how much lightning do they see there? Buckle your seatbelts.

Lake Maracaibo, according to NASA, is a "long part of the Andes Mountains, it is the largest lake in South America. Storms commonly form there at night as mountain breezes develop and converge over the warm, moist air over the lake. These unique conditions contribute to the development of persistent deep convection resulting in an average of 297 nocturnal thunderstorms per year, peaking in September."

Lake Maracaibo, image courtesy of Geology.com

Yes, you read that right. 297 nocturnal thunderstorms PER YEAR! This location can see around 1.2 million lightning bolts every year! If we compare that to our past units of lightning per square mile, it experiences 233 flashes of lightning per square mile per year!

According to NASA, “Ten minutes of Catatumbo Lightning could illuminate all of South America.”

How crazy is that?! Check out this awesome video from the lake with a lightning show going on. Skip to around 13:15 to watch the actual video.