In Venezuela, a lake roughly the size of Connecticut experiences thunderstorms on nearly 300 nights a year, with lightning sometimes flashing about 28 times a minute for hours. NASA satellite data confirmed Lake Maracaibo as Earth’s most intense lightning hotspot in 2016 — and although scientists understand the unusual mix of warm water, humid winds and surrounding mountains that drives it, they are still working out why the storms there are so extraordinarily persistent.

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All 1 reports on Wed, 19 August 2026

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Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Us Census Bureau Bulletin Of The American Meteorological Society Gulf Of Venezuela, Venezuela (General), Venezuela Venezuela Catatumbo, Zulia, Venezuela Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela American Connecticut, United States Caribbean Sea, Belize (General), Belize Lake Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela

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Wed, 19 August 2026
1 report
- scienceblog.com16:30first to report
  In Venezuela, a lake roughly the size of Connecticut experiences thunderstorms on nearly 300 nights a year, with lightning sometimes flashing about 28 times a minute for hours. NASA satellite data confirmed Lake Maracaibo as Earth’s most intense lightning hotspot in 2016 — and although scientists understand the unusual mix of warm water, humid winds and surrounding mountains that drives it, they are still working out why the storms there are so extraordinarily persistent.
  A 16-year NASA satellite record ranked Lake Maracaibo first for lightning flash density. Its nightly storm engine is broadly understood, but its extraordinary persistence remains an active research problem.