Electrical Storms Are On The Rise But What’s The Real Threat To Homeowners?
This month the journal Geophysical Research Letters has published a link between rising temperatures caused by global warming and an increase in lightning fires.
Today is the first day of the meteorological summer yet, all week the UK has seen weather warnings, electrical storms and heavy rainfall.
Some areas have seen more rainfall in a few hours than would normally be expected in a whole month.
Last weekend 15,000 lightning strikes were recorded in London in just 4 hours and more than 60,000 strikes across the UK. And there are more electrical storms forecast for the coming days.
Flights have been grounded with holidaymakers unable to return at the end of the half-term school break as a result of what BBC Weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker dubbed ‘The Mother of all Storms’.
Properties across the UK have been damaged by lightning fires too. A garage near Reading was left needing fire damage restoration when it burned to the ground after being struck by lightning and a house in Essex lost its roof after being struck.
Should we be worried about electrical storms in the UK?
Whilst we seem to be experiencing more intense electrical storms and lightning, the UK still sees relatively few lightning strikes per KM2 each year.
Even the most prolific pockets of the UK for lightening see between 0.4 and 1.4 lightning strikes per KM2 each year. This is a trifling number compared to that seen in some parts of Brazil where it’s estimated around 300 lightning strikes per Km are seen each year.
Flash Flooding also on the rise
We aren’t just seeing an increase in fires ignited by electrical storms. We’re also seeing an increase in flash flooding right across the UK. Homeowners in Kent have seen flash flooding cause chaos and residents in Walsall are needing to repair flood damage to their homes for the second time in three years.
There have also been reports of flooding in the South, the South West and Wales and there is more rain on the way.
If you find yourself flooded out of your home, or your home is damaged by a lightning strike Rainbow International has fire and flood restoration teams on hand to help you get your home habitable once again.
With more than 60 branches across the UK, there’s bound to be a Rainbow branch near you. You can find your nearest branch on our website, or give us a call on our 24/5 helpline 01623 422 488 365 days of the year.