A number of lightning strikes were recorded on Saturday evening, August 10, within 300 nautical miles of the North Pole. It was the most lightning strikes ever seen so far north. Lightning strikes are so rare this far north because for a bolt of lighting to occur there must be atmospheric instability as well as a warm/wet layer of air.
This many lightning strikes near the North Pole has never been seen before.
A number of lightning strikes were recorded Saturday evening (Aug. 10th) within 300 miles of the North Pole. The lightning strikes occurred near 85°N and 126°E. This lightning was detected by Vaisala's GLD lightning detection network. #akwx pic.twitter.com/6jdxeMPBdH
— NWS Fairbanks (@NWSFairbanks) August 11, 2019