Italy and France record high lightning activity in summer 2026

Data from the Meteorage network reveals that Italy and France experienced significant lightning activity during the summer of 2026.

Italy recorded the highest number of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in Europe, totaling 298,341 between June 1 and August 31. This accounts for approximately one in every three lightning strikes recorded across the continent. Italy also holds the highest lightning density in Europe at 4.73 contact points per square kilometer. The most intense activity occurred in August, with the single busiest day being August 20, which saw 19,959 strikes. Regionally, Lombardy, Veneto, and Piedmont were the most affected areas in Italy.

France was the second most affected country in Europe, recording over 243,000 lightning impacts during the same period. Experts noted that the increase in storm activity is linked to rising temperatures, as heat fuels storm development. While the 2026 figures are high, specialists noted that historical seasonal totals in Europe have previously reached between 800,000 and one million impacts.