1,000 lightning strikes hit California county

1,000 lightning strikes in California county, tropical showers

A total of 1,000 lightning strikes have been reported in a three-hour span in Fresno County and there are tropical showers expected in the Bay Area.

FRESNO, Calif. – There were roughly 1,000 lightning strikes in one Central California county within three hours sparking fires and warnings from fire crews to be wary of the weather.

Cal Fire said that five fires broke out in eastern Fresno County on Monday because of the lightning strikes.  

There were also some dry lightning strikes in Coaling on Monday, as well as in Hercules, Martinez and Fairfield early Tuesday morning. 

Dry lightning is a type of cloud-to-ground lightning that occurs without rain. 

Weather scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Storm Prediction Center point out that it’s a major cause of wildfires, especially in dry conditions with dry vegetation.

In fact, dry lightning has sparked some of California’s most destructive wildfires, including the August Complex fire in 2022, which was caused by 37 separate fires that merged together.

Tuesday’s forecast for the Bay Area includes tropical showers, again with the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning. The forecast also calls for muggy conditions and moist air. 

“You don’t see this on June 25 very often,” KTVU meteorologist Steve Paulson said.