Maps and statistics: lightning in Canada
- Number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes in Canada
- Average monthly cloud-to-ground lightning in Canada
- Average dates for the beginning and ending of lightning season for Western and Eastern Canada
- Percentage of lightning occurring between 10:30 pm and 10:30 am local time for Western and Eastern Canada
- Fast Canadian lightning facts
Number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes in Canada, from 1999 to 2013, broken down by year
The table below shows the number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes recorded in Canada from 1999 to 2013. The numbers range from a maximum of 2.963 million flashes in 2005, to the minimum of 1.5709 million flashes in 2009.
Number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes in Canada. Click for more details.
| Year | Millions of Flashes |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 2.6 |
| 2000 | 2.5 |
| 2001 | 2.45 |
| 2002 | 2.4 |
| 2003 | 2.1 |
| 2004 | 2.0 |
| 2005 | 2.95 |
| 2006 | 2.4 |
| 2007 | 2.75 |
| 2008 | 2.0 |
| 2009 | 1.6 |
| 2010 | 2.2 |
| 2011 | 2.3 |
| 2012 | 2.25 |
| 2013 | 2.2 |
Average monthly cloud-to-ground lightning in Canada (1999 to 2013)
The table below shows the average number of lightning flashes in Canada, broken down by month. As you can see, July is the month that has the most lightning strikes, followed by August and June. It is interesting to note that lightning is reported in Canada in every month of the year.
Average monthly cloud-to-ground lightning in Canada. Click for more details.
| Month | Number of Flashes |
|---|---|
| January | Less than 10, 000 |
| February | Less than 10, 000 |
| March | Less than 10, 000 |
| April | 20,000 |
| May | 110,000 |
| June | 490,000 |
| July | 895,000 |
| August | 595,000 |
| September | 150,000 |
| October | 25,000 |
| November | Less than 10,000 |
| December | Less than 10,000 |
Average dates for the beginning and ending of lightning season for Western and Eastern Canada
The length of the lightning season varies greatly across Canada, but shows one distinct pattern: the season becomes shorter the farther north one goes. In the North, the average season runs from mid-to-late May until late August-mid September. Over southern Ontario, the average lightning season extends from mid-March to early November. Lightning occurs virtually year round in the Pacific coastal region, over southern Nova Scotia, and offshore.
Average date of beginning of the lightning season for Western Canada (1999-2013)
Average date of beginning of the lightning season for Eastern Canada (1999-2013)
Average dates for the beginning and ending of lightning season for Western and Eastern Canada. Click for more details.
| Area in Province or Territory | Start Date | Colour of Start Date |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia - South Coast | January 1 | Dark Blue |
| British Columbia - North Coast | ** see note below | ** see note below |
| British Columbia - Interior | March 15 | Cyan |
| British Columbia - High Mountain Ranges | May 15 | Yellow |
| British Columbia - Southeast Mountains | April 10 | Light green |
| Yukon | June 1 | Orange |
| Yukon - South - small areas | May 15 | Yellow |
| North West Territories - South | June 1 | Orange |
| North West Territories - South - small areas | May 15 | Yellow |
| North West Territories - North East | July 1 | Red |
| North West Territories - North | *** see note below | *** see note below |
| Nunavut - South | June 15 | Orange-red |
| Nunavut - South - small areas | July 1 | Red |
| Nunavut - North | *** see note below | *** see note below |
| Alberta | May 15 | Yellow |
| Alberta - Southern areas | April 10 | Light Green |
| Alberta - Northern sections - small areas | June 1 | Orange |
| Saskatchewan | May 15 | Yellow |
| Saskatchewan - Southern areas | April 10 | Light Green |
| Saskatchewan - Southeastern sections - small areas | March 15 | Cyan |
| Saskatchewan - Northern sections - small areas | June 1 | Orange |
| Manitoba - Southern sections | March 15 | Cyan |
| Manitoba | May 15 | Yellow |
| Manitoba - Northern sections - small areas | June 1 | Orange |
| Ontario - South | March 15 | Cyan |
| Ontario - Southern - small areas | February 1 | Blue |
| Ontario - Central | April 10 | Light Green |
| Ontario - Central - small areas | May 15 | Yellow |
| Ontario - Central - small areas | June 1 | Orange |
| Ontario - North | May 15 | Yellow |
| Ontario - North - small areas | June 1 | Orange |
| Quebec - South | April 10 | Light Green |
| Quebec - Western sections - small areas | March 15 | Cyan |
| Quebec - Central - including Gaspé | May 15 | Yellow |
| Quebec - North | June 1 | Orange |
| Quebec - far Northern shores | July 1 | Red |
| New Brunswick | April 10 | Light Green |
| New Brunswick - North | May 15 | Yellow |
| Prince Edward Island (PEI) | May 22 | Yellow-Orange |
| Nova Scotia - Coastal areas | January 1 | Dark Blue |
| Nova Scotia - South | March 15 | Cyan |
| Nova Scotia - Cape Breton | May 15 | Yellow |
| Newfoundland | June 1 | Orange |
| Newfoundland - Southern Coastal areas | March 15 | Cyan |
| Newfoundland - Southern Coast - small areas | February 1 | Blue |
| Labrador | June 1 | Orange |
| Labrador - Western sections - small areas | May 15 | Yellow |
| Labrador - Southeast - offshore | July 1 | Red |
** There are very few lightning strikes on the North Coast, but lightning strikes can occur all year round.
*** There are very few lightning strikes detected in the far north of Canada. For this reason, it is difficult to pinpoint when the lightning season begins and ends there. That said, the vast majority of lightning strikes occur in July and early August.
Average date of the end of the lightning season for Western Canada (1999-2013)
Average date of the end of the lightning season for Eastern Canada (1999-2013)
Average date of the end of the lightning season for Western and Eastern Canada. Click for more details
| Area in Province or Territory | End Date | Colour of End Date |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia - South Coast | December 15 | Red |
| British Columbia - North Coast | ** see note below | ** see note below |
| British Columbia - Interior | October 20 | Yellow |
| British Columbia - Central Interior - small areas | November 1 | Orange |
| British Columbia - High Mountain Ranges | September 15 | Cyan |
| Yukon - South | September 15 | Cyan |
| Yukon - North | August 15 | Blue |
| North West Territories - South | September 15 | Cyan |
| North West Territories - South - small areas | October 1 | Light Green |
| North West Territories - North | *** see note below | *** see note below |
| Nunavut - South | September 15 | Cyan |
| Nunavut - South - small areas | October 1 | Light Green |
| Nunavut - North | *** see note below | *** see note below |
| Alberta | September 15 | Cyan |
| Alberta - Southern areas | October 1 | Light Green |
| Alberta - Northern sections - small areas | September 1 | Light Blue |
| Saskatchewan | September 15 | Cyan |
| Saskatchewan - South - small areas | October 1 | Light Green |
| Manitoba | October 1 | Light Green |
| Manitoba - small areas | October 20 | Yellow |
| Manitoba - South - small areas | November 15 | Orange |
| Manitoba - North | September 15 | Cyan |
| Ontario - South | November 15 | Orange |
| Ontario - Southern areas | October 20 | Yellow |
| Ontario - Southern areas - small areas | December 1 | Orange-Red |
| Ontario - Central | October 1 | Light Green |
| Ontario - Central - small areas | October 20 | Yellow |
| Ontario - North | September 15 | Cyan |
| Ontario - North - small areas | October 1 | Light Green |
| Quebec - Southwest | October 20 | Yellow |
| Quebec - Southeast | September 15 | Cyan |
| Quebec - Central - including Gaspé | October 1 | Light Green |
| Quebec Central - small areas | October 20 | Yellow |
| Quebec - North | September 15 | Cyan |
| Quebec - far Northern shores | August 1 | Blue |
| New Brunswick | October 1 | Light Green |
| New Brunswick - South - small areas | November 15 | Orange |
| Prince Edward Island (PEI) | October 1 | Light Green |
| Nova Scotia | October 1 | Light Green |
| Nova Scotia - South | November 1 | Orange |
| Nova Scotia - Cape Breton | October 15 | Yellow |
| Newfoundland | September 15 | Cyan |
| Newfoundland - Southern Coast | December 15 | Red |
| Newfoundland - Southern Coast - small areas | November 1 | Orange |
| Labrador | September 15 | Cyan |
| Labrador - small western areas | October 1 | Light Green |
** There are very few lightning strikes on the North Coast, but lightning strikes can occur all year round.
*** There are very few lightning strikes detected in the far north of Canada. For this reason, it is difficult to pinpoint when the lightning season begins and ends there. That said, the vast majority of lightning strikes occur in July and early August.
Percentage of lightning occurring between 10:30 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. local time for Western and Eastern Canada (1999-2013)
Most of us associate lightning with thunderstorms that form during the day, driven by the heating that comes from the sun. However, in some areas of the country nocturnal lightning (lightning that occurs at night) can account for almost half of all lightning. This is seen over portions of east-central Alberta and the southern halves of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with an extreme of 65.7 per cent nocturnal lightning near Quill Lake, Saskatchewan.
Percentage of lightning occurring between 10:30 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. local time for Western Canada
Percentage of lightning occurring between 10:30 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. local time for Eastern Canada
Percentage of lightning occurring between 10:30 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. local time for Western and Eastern Canada. Click for more details.
| Area in Province or Territory | Percentage % | Colour Representation |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia - North Coast** | 0 | Dark Blue |
| British Columbia - outer South Coast | 60 | Orange/red |
| British Columbia - inner South Coast | 20 | Blue/cyan |
| British Columbia - Interior | 10 | Blue |
| British Columbia - High Mountain Ranges | 25 | Cyan |
| Yukon | 10 | Blue |
| Yukon - Central - small areas | 25 | Cyan |
| North West Territories | 10 | Blue |
| North West Territories - small areas | 25 | Cyan |
| North West Territories - small Central areas | 60 | Orange/red |
| North West Territories - far North ** | 0 | Dark Blue |
| Nunavut - South | 25 | Cyan |
| Nunavut - small Southern areas | 60 | Orange/red |
| Nunavut - North** | 0 | Dark Blue |
| Alberta - areas | 10 | Blue |
| Alberta - Eastern areas and foothills | 25 | Cyan |
| Alberta - Central - small areas | 40 | Yellow |
| Saskatchewan - South | 40 | Yellow |
| Saskatchewan - South central | 60 | Orange/red |
| Saskatchewan - central and North | 25 | Cyan |
| Saskatchewan - North - small areas | 10 | Blue |
| Manitoba - South | 40 | Yellow |
| Manitoba - South - small areas | 50 | Orange |
| Manitoba - North | 25 | Cyan |
| Manitoba - North - small areas | 40 | Yellow |
| Manitoba - North - small areas | 10 | Blue |
| Ontario - Lake Superior, Northern Georgian Bay | 60 | Orange/Red |
| Ontario | 25 | Cyan |
| Ontario - small areas | 40 | Yellow |
| Quebec | 10 | Blue |
| Quebec - South shores | 25 | Cyan |
| Quebec - Western areas | 25 | Cyan |
| Quebec - North - small areas | 60 | Orange/red |
| Quebec - Gulf of St. Lawrence | 60 | Orange/Red |
| New Brunswick | 10 | Blue |
| New Brunswick - Southern section - small areas | 25 | Cyan |
| Prince Edward Island (PEI) | 10 | Blue |
| Nova Scotia - offshore and coastal areas - Bay of Fundy | 60 | Orange/Red |
| Nova Scotia | 25 | Cyan |
| Nova Scotia - Cape Breton | 70 | Red |
| Newfoundland - Southeast and offshore | 70 | Red |
| Newfoundland - South | 25 | Cyan |
| Newfoundland - North | 10 | Blue |
| Labrador | 10 | Blue |
| Labrador - Southeast- offshore | 60 | Red |
** There are very few lightning strikes on the North Coast, but lightning strikes can occur all year round.
Fast Canadian lightning facts
- The approximate number of cloud to ground lightning flashes detected in Canada since the Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN) began in 1998 is 34.0 million.
- The average number of lightning flashes per year in Canada is 2.2638 million.
- The minimum number of lightning flashes in Canada in one year was 1.5709 million in 2009.
- The maximum number of lightning flashes in Canada in one year was 2.9631 million in 2005.
- The northern most lightning flash detected in Canada was detected at 74.004 degrees North and 102.6924 degrees West, over Viscount Melville Sound, Northwest of Prince of Wales Island. The lightning strike was recorded on August 11, 2003.
- The month that is likely to have the most number of lightning flashes in Canada is July.
- The most frequent time of day for lightning is between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time.
- The greatest 10-year average number of days with lightning in Canada is an average of 32.3 a year, near Harrow, Ontario.
- The Canadian region with the greatest annual number of days with lightning in any one year is inland of the north shore of Lake Erie near Highgate, Ontario.
- The Canadian city with the greatest number of days with lightning in any one year is Windsor, Ontario, which had 47 days of lightning in 2006.
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