Thunder strikes Norway

KiN Report
Thunder, lightening and heavy rains hit most parts of Norway Monday night. Oslo and Akershus were worst hit with some 30000 customers of Hafslund missing power supply. The rains were heavier in the southern parts of Hedmark with Melsonm in Stokke registering 33,7 mm, a record high downpour. Oslo was second with 25,8 mm.

SINTEF registered 11000 strikes by the scary natural power that lit most parts of the country. Fortunately, despite destroying lots of property, no human casualties were registered other than one person who was reportedly admitted at a hospital in Østfold. The person was reportedly hit at Hvaler.

Facts about this natural phenomenon:
Lightning is a spark that is triggered when the voltage between a range of positive electricity and a range of negative electricity in the atmosphere is great enough to overcome the atmospheric electrical resistance. Lightning has amperage that can vary between a few thousands to 300,000 amperes. Most cases of lightning occur within and between clouds (cloud to cloud). Reports have it that only ¼ of all lightning strikes the Earth.

There are different types of lightning: Positive and negative lightning, Top to bottom and lightning that runs from Bottom to top. Positive lightning is usually stronger than the negative one. In Norway, thunder and lightning occur most often in the summer when the atmosphere is most unstable, with strong vertical air currents making their way in the clouds.

Thunderstorm activity is generally highest in the afternoons. This is due to stronger and longer solar heating that effects rapid warm air movements in the clouds.