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In this study we have investigated the relationship between lightning and ice-hydrometeors for thunderstorms over norther India. we have implemented a hydrometeor identification (HID) algorithm on a C-band polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) data to get information on the ice-hydrometeors and utilized lightning flash data of both cloud-to-ground (CG) and intracloud (IC) type lightnings, from Indian Lightning Location Network (ILLN). Seven prominent thunderstorm events, comprising a total of 385 radar volume scans, have been used in this study. The study reveals a good spatial association between graupel and lightning flashes. Time evolution of ice-hydrometeors and lightning flashes during thunderstorms are in tandem. It is revealed that, decrease in cloud-top brightness temperature (from INSAT-3DR satellite) precedes lightning occurrence by more than an hour. Event-wise correlations between ice hydrometeor related parameters and lightning flash rates show higher values for IC than CG flashes, but less correlations when all the data are pooled across events, signifying higher inter-storm variability in the relationship for IC. Graupel Count (GC), i.e., the number of radar grid points identified as graupel, showed the highest pooled correlation coefficient value of 0.87 for CG lightning. For IC lightning also, GC has the highest correlation coefficient value (0.74). The pooled correlations are higher for CG lightning for all ice-hydrometeor parameters. The findings support the non-inductive collision mechanism of thunderstorm charging. Lag-correlation analysis (up to 60 min of lag) has been performed. Lag correlation coefficient values greater than 0.65 (for CG lightning at 30 min of lag) in case of certain ice-hydrometeor parameters, strongly indicate that they are potential precursors for lightning and could be used for nowcasting of lightning.
An electric field mill (EFM-100) short-range sensor has been installed on the rooftop of the six story building of Kathmandu BernHardt College, Tribhuvan University (TU), Bafal, Kathmandu for continuous monitoring of lightning events within a 38 km in aerial distance. It constantly monitors lightning activities and activates graphical display alerts on a connected computer. The EFM-100 monitor software displays a real time graph of the atmospheric electrical field, as well as the distance of lightning strikes within the specified range. Lightning strikes were recorded over a 3-month period, spanning 57 days, primarily during the both premonsoon and monsoon seasons, from May 19 to August 18, 2024. In addition, the effect of lightning events on atmospheric pollutants such as PM1, PM2.5, PM10, relative humidity, temperature, and particle density of ozone per cubic centimeter were analyzed. These atmospheric parameters were obtained from the Central Department of Environment Science, TU, Nepal. The results clearly show that the atmospheric pollutants PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, found to be higher during the lightning events. PM2.5 concentrations increased by an average of approximately 18%, PM10 by about 12%, and ozone by about 22% compared with prelightning background levels. Similarly, the atmospheric temperature increased by 1.5°C-2.0°C during the strong lightning events followed by a gradual decrease thereafter. These findings provide clear evidence of the magnitude of pollutants and thermal changes associated with lightning. It was also observed that relative humidity is inversely proportional to temperature, as it rises due to lightning phenomena. Furthermore, lightning activity was found to significantly increase with rising concentrations of ozone particles in the atmosphere.
Background Incidents of lightning injuries are commonly reported in the coastal state of Odisha, India. It is a major weather-related cause of death in this region. Inadequate awareness of healthcare workers (HCWs) about lightning injury prevention and management can lead to suboptimal patient management. Despite several measures taken by various governments, fatalities due to lightning continue to rise. Injuries from lightning are preventable with adequate awareness and knowledge of the management of such patients. Identifying the knowledge gaps is the first step towards strengthening overall preparedness for lightning injury management in a healthcare organization. This study aims to assess the awareness and preparedness of HCWs in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Eastern India. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs in the 960-bed study hospital. Participants (n=246) were selected with a convenient sampling method that included doctors, nurses, technicians, hospital attendants, and other hospital support staff to ensure heterogeneity. Senior faculty members and administrative staff were excluded. A validated questionnaire was developed and provided to participants to assess awareness, attitudes, and preparedness regarding the prevention and management of lightning injuries. A scoring system of one and zero, along with a five-point Likert scale, was used to analyze the responses. The criteria were set to assess awareness level: high awareness (≥70%), moderate (40%-70%), and low awareness (<40%). Data were statistically analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics Software, trial version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results The mean awareness score of HCWs was 7.4 out of 12, indicating moderate awareness. Only 39% of participants demonstrated high awareness, with doctors scoring higher than all others. Prior training in emergency healthcare services and the profession of the HCWs were factors associated with high awareness (adjusted OR (aOR) = 3.46, CI = 95%) among the HCWs; 96% of participants felt the need for a structured training program on lightning prevention and the management of affected patients. Conclusion The study demonstrated that HCWs have moderate awareness and preparedness for managing lightning injuries. Attitudes toward learning were overwhelmingly positive, with a demand for structured training initiatives. Doctors and those with prior emergency or disaster management training had significantly higher awareness, reaffirming the need for training interventions. However, being conducted in a single setting, the generalizability of the study findings to other settings is limited.
Systematic data on cardiac involvement after lightning strikes are limited and mostly derived from case reports. On 22 August 2019, a cloud-to-ground lightning event on Mt. Giewont (Poland) caused a mass casualty incident, providing a unique opportunity to characterize myocardial injury in a large cohort. This study aimed to quantify high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTnT) release after lightning strike and its relationship with injury mechanisms. Individuals from the MT Giewont incident with available troponin measurements were analyzed. Injury mechanisms were predefined, and the location on the trail at the time of the strike was determined. Peak hs-cTnT measured in the emergency department was the primary biomarker of myocardial injury. Among 131 exposed hikers, 59 underwent hs-cTnT testing. The cohort comprised 27 (45.8%) females, and median age of individuals was 29.5 years (IQR 23-41). Overall, 27 (45.8%) exceeded the upper reference limit of hs-cTnT (URL; 14 ng/L). Median peak hs-cTnT was 13 ng/L (IQR 7.6-25.6). Individuals with direct strike/side-flash exposure had significantly greater troponin levels (median 25.6 vs 10.7 ng/L; p = 0.004). In multivariable analysis, direct/side flash exposure was the only independent predictor of increased troponin (β = 0.90 p = 0.014; relative change +146%). Contact injury, ground current, and blast injury were not significant. ECG abnormalities were uncommon despite frequent biomarker elevation. Individuals with hs-cTnT above the upper reference limit were more frequently admitted to hospital (63% vs 34.4%; p = 0.03), with a 60% increase in odds of admission per doubling of troponin (95% CI 1.01-2.5; p = 0.048). Discrimination for admission was moderate (AUC 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.78); a threshold >16 ng/L provided 53.6% sensitivity and 77.4% specificity. Among individuals who underwent cardiac troponin testing, nearly half demonstrated elevated hs-cTnT levels. Troponin release was significantly greater in individuals exposed to direct strike/side flash. Lightning strikes can cause serious injuries, including damage to the heart. However, little is known about how often heart injury occurs after a lightning strike or which individuals are at greatest risk. This study examined people injured during a large lightning strike incident on Mt. Giewont in Poland in 2019. We analyzed blood levels of cardiac troponin, a marker of heart muscle injury, and assessed the likely mechanism of lightning exposure. Almost half of the tested individuals showed elevated troponin levels, suggesting some degree of heart injury. The highest levels were observed in people exposed to direct lightning strikes or side flashes.
This research investigates the effect of geological discontinuities on the electric breakdown distributions near vertical and horizontal lightning conductors (VLC and HLC) in various ground conditions. To investigate this effect, numerical simulations were carried out using COMSOL Multiphysics. The simulations took into consideration detailed models of the lightning conductor geometries, ground structures, and parameters of the lightning conductor for varying ratios of horizontal distance to conductor height (D/hc, where D = horizontal distance between the lightning conductor and ground discontinuity interface, and hc = height of the lightning conductor above ground level). Results show that for D/hc = 1.5, the electric field strength near the lightning conductor and discontinuity interface is 20% lower than that obtained from the homogeneous model without this conductor. On the other hand, for D/hc ≥ 3.5, the electric breakdown strength agrees well with the conductor less model, indicating negligible impact on discharge attraction. The equipotential lines and field intensities around the interface have shown non-uniform distributions. Results have brought forth important practical implications in developing an efficient lightning protection system over different types of earth.
This study examines the influence of transboundary dust on lightning activity in the Mumbai region, India, during an extreme pre-monsoon event on May 13, 2024, which resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. A severe dust intrusion from the Middle East and Arabian deserts coincided with a westward-moving convective system originating from inland Nashik, India, and moving toward the southwestern coast of India. A multi-platform dataset combining ground-based and satellite observations was used. Lightning data obtained from the Indian Lightning Location Network (ILLN), PM₁₀ concentrations from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), cloud parameters from satellite and reanalysis, and dust transport pathways from HYSPLIT. Results show that transboundary dust led to an eightfold increase in PM₁₀ (~800 µg m⁻3), accompanied by more than 31,000 lightning flashes, with a peak of over 8,717 flashes coinciding with the PM₁₀ peak at 16:00 IST. Dust particles altered cloud microphysics by reducing cloud liquid water and enhancing cloud ice water content. This process strengthened deep convection, lowered cloud-top temperatures to ~205K, and elevated cloud tops to ~15-16km. These conditions promote strong non-inductive charge separation, resulting in intense lightning over metropolitan Mumbai. The findings provide robust evidence that long-range transported dust significantly enhances thunderstorm electrification by promoting ice microphysics and increasing lightning activity.
Deaths due to lightning strikes are rare but of great forensic importance because of their sudden and fatal nature. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, scene findings, and autopsy results of fatal lightning strike cases examined in Kars and Ardahan provinces. This retrospective study included 13 cases of death by lightning strike, identified from 847 autopsies performed in 2 climatically similar provinces between 2019 and 2025 via the National Judicial Network Project (UYAP) database. The research evaluates the victims' demographic data, incident location characteristics, and macroscopic autopsy findings, alongside negative toxicological and histopathological examination results. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, utilizing descriptive statistical methods such as frequency, percentage distribution, and mean values. Between 2019 and 2025, 1.53% (n = 13) of forensic autopsies in Kars and Ardahan were attributed to lightning strikes, with all cases involving male victims and a mean age of 31.3 years. The majority of cases were shepherds (69.2%), and deaths occurred most frequently in rural pastures during the spring and summer months, particularly in May and June. While all cases exhibited first- and second-degree burns and singed body hair, characteristic Lichtenberg figures were detected in 46.1% of the victims alongside various internal hemorrhages in some instances. Crime scene investigations provided critical diagnostic evidence, including the presence of deceased livestock near the victims and partially burned or torn personal belongings. Lightning-related deaths show a strong association with seasonal, occupational, and environmental factors. Scene investigation and the recognition of Lichtenberg figures play a crucial role in the forensic diagnosis of lightning strike fatalities. Cite this article as: Sancı A, Karaalp E, Baltacı AS, Vural T. Evaluation of lightning strike fatalities: a retrospective autopsy study from 2 centers in eastern Türkiye. Eurasian J Med. 2026, 58(4), 1359, doi: 10.5152/eurasianjmed.2026.261359.
This paper reports on the performance of an optical voltage transducer (MVT) module after undergoing lightning impulse withstand tests. The device was designed to monitor the output voltage of a dedicated capacitive voltage divider (CVD) to facilitate a voltage sensor dedicated for 132-kV high voltage (HV) networks. Hard piezoelectric transducer (PZT) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technologies were combined in the module to serve as a voltage-to-strain-to-wavelength converter. The FBG peak wavelength shifts were calibrated against the input voltage to provide precise measurements of the network voltage. The module was subjected to lightning impulse withstand tests as per the requirements of the IEC 60044-7 and IEC 60060-1 standards, and the impact of the lightning impulses on the performance of the MVT module was evaluated based on the accuracy tests performed before and after the lightning impulse tests. The experimental results demonstrated that the MVT module successfully withstood the lightning impulse tests without any disruptive discharges or voltage collapses. The performance of the module was not affected by the lightning impulse tests within the practical constraints of the reference measuring equipment: its amplitude and phase errors remained within the original limits of ±0.1% and ±0.1° at 80-120% of the rated voltage, and below ±4% and ±2° at 2% of the rated voltage, respectively.
Accurate representation of lightning activity in coarse-resolution medium-range weather forecasting models remains a major challenge due to the fine scale nature of electrification processes. In the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting Global Unified Model (NCUM-G), lightning flash rates are computed following the widely adopted Price and Rind (1992) (PR92) formulation. However, the current parameterization relies on storm detection criterion solely a cloud-thickness threshold, resulting in a large number of false alarms over India. To address the limitations of the current parameterization scheme, this study evaluates two key components of the lightning parameterization framework: (i) storm detection criteria and (ii) the formulation for estimating flash counts estimation, with a focus on enhancing performance over the Indian subcontinent. The analysis highlights pronounced seasonal variability in both the storm occurrence and convective intensity, highlighting the need for refined criteria for storm identification. Three approaches were explored to improve storm detection: (a) modifying the definition of cloud depth, (b) redefining cloud-depth limits, and (c) incorporating additional dynamical parameters along with cloud depth to account for seasonal variations in convection characteristics. Among all combinations tested, the approach that uses column-maximum vertical velocity and cold cloud depth for storm identification, together with convective cloud-top height in the PR92 flash-count formulation, shows the most promising results. Fractional Skill Score (FSS) analysis confirms that this modified scheme enhances the skill in representing the observed lightning flash counts in NCUM-G at medium-range time scales. Consistent with this, domain-scale categorical verification metrics, including critical success index (CSI) and equitable threat score (ETS), indicate that the modified configuration achieves a more balanced performance by reducing forecast bias and false alarms while maintaining improved detection skill, demonstrating a more realistic representation of lightning-producing convection. Despite these improvements, certain regional discrepancies persist, largely attributable to systematic model biases in simulating convective processes.
Despite an increasing number of case reports, lightning strikes in humans remain a rare occurrence. The associated complications range from burns and transient unconsciousness to severe cardiac consequences such as arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies, and cardiogenic shock until death. A 26-year-old patient was struck by lightning. After a temporary loss of consciousness, he was admitted to the hospital. Serious injuries were excluded by computed tomography (CT). A transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed a normal cardiac function without structural or functional alterations. During the first hours of monitoring, non-sustained ventricular tachycardia occurred and an increase in cardiac enzymes was noted. A repeat TTE showed new hypokinesia of the septal wall and a mild impairment of global left ventricular function. Coronary artery disease was ruled out by CT. A stress-induced cardiomyopathy was suspected, although the morphologic criteria of classic Takotsubo cardiomyopathy were not met. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed septal wall motion abnormalities (WMAs) and showed septal myocardial oedema without evidence of scarring. The patient was discharged with a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator. A repeat cardiac MRI showed complete resolution of WMA and myocardial oedema. Arrhythmic events did not occur. In summary of the findings, we interpret the reversible structural changes as a correlate of a contusio cordis after lightning strike. Cardiovascular involvement due to lightning strikes is diverse and does not always met established diagnostic criteria. This case illustrates that structural myocardial changes may be transient without any sequelae. Cardiac MRI is an important diagnostic tool in differential diagnosis and for risk stratification.
Lightning strikes cause a unique spectrum of cutaneous burn injuries that differ substantially from conventional thermal or high-voltage electrical burns. Despite the well-documented systemic lethality of lightning injuries, the burn-specific sequelae-including airway involvement and its contribution to ventilatory failure-remain underreported in the burn literature. We present a 31-year-old woman who sustained multiple cutaneous burns following a lightning strike, including a circumferential necklace-pattern burn to the neck, a large midline torso burn, and burns to the right lower extremity and foot. Following resuscitation from ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest, she required mechanical ventilation and experienced three sequential extubation failures before ultimately requiring tracheostomy. We propose that direct supraglottic and glottic injury, together with airway mucosal edema from localized thermal and electrical injury of the neck, compounded further by systemic inflammatory and infectious complications, contributed to her inability to sustain independent ventilation. In lightning strike victims with burns involving the neck or thorax, direct upper airway injury should be actively considered, excluded when possible, and closely monitored as a potential cause of extubation failure. A low threshold for early bronchoscopic airway assessment and conservative extubation protocols is warranted.
High-voltage electrical injuries from lightning are not only responsible for causing fatal burns but can also cause various neurological abnormalities. Herein, we present a case of a middle-aged woman who was struck by lightning and presented with disorientation and persistent vomiting. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed confluent, symmetrical T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensities in the white matter of both cerebral hemispheres and the brainstem. She received steroids for brain inflammation, and her symptoms improved. This is a rare case of lightning-induced diffuse cerebral and brain stem demyelination.
Recent JWST data provide a basis for investigations into exoplanetary atmospheres at novel high precision. Weather and climate on these planets, along with the implications of the observed atmospheric composition for extraterrestrial life, remain hotly debated. Using photochemical modelling data based on JWST observations as inputs for a thoroughly validated plasma simulation code, we present the first simulations of streamers, precursors of lightning, in an exoplanetary atmosphere. We find the electrical breakdown field magnitude in this atmosphere to be approximately half that of Earth, indicative of an atmosphere more susceptible to lightning than our own. We show that lightning can incept on K2-18b in all three tested atmospheric configurations, and that variations in atmospheric composition, in particular in the presence of water vapour, affect the rate of streamer inception.
Lightning strikes are a rare but potentially devastating cause of injury, particularly in children. Clinical manifestations range from transient neurological disturbances and cardiac arrhythmias to severe burns, auditory damage, and multisystem trauma. Early recognition and prompt resuscitative measures are essential for improving outcomes, as lightning victims often have a high potential for successful resuscitation if treated rapidly. While musculoskeletal, cardiac, and neurological complications are commonly reported, genitourinary injuries, especially bladder trauma, are exceedingly uncommon and, in fact, underreported. We report an unusual and extremely rare clinical case of a lightning strike victim who presented with an isolated bladder injury.
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Multi-view pose estimation is essential for quantifying animal behavior in scientific research, yet current methods struggle to achieve accurate tracking with limited labeled data and suffer from poor uncertainty estimates. We address these challenges with a flexible framework that can operate with or without camera calibration, combining novel training and post-processing techniques with an uncertainty-aware pseudo-labeling distillation procedure. Our multi-view model processes all camera views jointly using a pretrained vision transformer backbone, and a simulated occlusion technique encourages the model to learn robust cross-view correspondences without requiring camera parameters. When camera parameters are available, 3D data augmentations and a triangulation-based loss further encourage geometric consistency. We extend the Ensemble Kalman Smoother (EKS) post-processor to the nonlinear case, leveraging camera geometry, and introduce a variance inflation technique that detects cross-view inconsistencies and corrects overconfident predictions. We validate our approach on five datasets spanning three species (fly, mouse, bird), including a multi-animal dataset with two visually distinct individuals; the proposed pipeline consistently outperforms existing methods across datasets. We demonstrate how these improvements translate to downstream scientific analyses using data from the International Brain Laboratory, showing improved unsupervised behavioral clustering and neural decoding of paw kinematics with just 200 labeled frames. To facilitate adoption, we developed a browser-based, cloud-compatible user interface that supports the full life cycle of multi-view pose estimation, from labeling and model training to post-processing with EKS and diagnostic visualizations.
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