More than 23,000 lightning strikes in the North on the morning of April 25: What do experts say?

Regarding the number of more than 23,000 lightning strikes in the North on the morning of April 25, Director of the Center for Hydro-Meteorological Observation Techniques Nguyen Vinh Thu said: "In fact, this is the number of lightning discharges measured over a large area. It includes the number of lightning strikes between clouds and from clouds to the ground. The number of lightning strikes to the ground is less than 50% of the above number.

In fact, the amount of lightning we feel in the North will be much less. However, lightning is always an element of surprise. Just one lightning strike can cause damage to life and property."

Scientific statistics show that 70% of lightning strikes worldwide occur in tropical regions. Vietnam is located in the heart of Asia's thunderstorms. During the current transitional months, the risk of thunderstorms is higher than at other times of the year.

Mr. Nguyen Vinh Thu shared: "The maps displaying thunderstorms that we provide are visual for the community to refer to in order to increase their preparedness when seeing a thunderstorm approaching their locality.

Scientific statistics do not agree with the number of lightning strikes we think they occur. Instead, we should focus on being more vigilant and using lightning protection rules to minimize damage."

According to Director Nguyen Vinh Thu, currently, information on the number of lightning strikes and thunderstorm location maps are being provided in real time on the website www.hymetnet.gov.vn .

This is a data source installed based on a measurement system of 18 measuring stations nationwide. At each station, the number of lightning strikes is scanned in a range of 400 - 600km as announced by the Center for Hydrometeorological Observation Techniques.

With modern equipment, each discharge between clouds and from cloud to ground is recorded. In reality, the intensity of lightning will vary greatly.

Lightning is weak, people may not feel it with normal senses. Only when the lightning is strong enough, we can feel it as seeing lightning and thunder.

Therefore, there is no consistency between the number of lightning strikes counted by the device and the number of thunders according to conventional concepts.

Along with that, the device measures lightning in a certain area with scanning ranges from 400-600km, so lightning statistics cover a wide area not only of Vietnam but also of countries in the region such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and part of the East Sea.

"Lightning is not an entity on the ground, but it moves through clouds at very different speeds. Therefore, it cannot be counted according to administrative boundaries in the usual way," Mr. Nguyen Vinh Thu emphasized./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hon-23000-cu-set-danh-o-mien-bac-sang-254-chuyen-gia-noi-gi-post1035075.vnp