93,000 lightning strikes during storms: hail and heavy rainfall affect several regions of France

Paris – 16 July 2026: After an exceptionally storm-rich night and an unstable Wednesday, new severe thunderstorms are sweeping across parts of France. According to data from the weather service, around 93,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the country on 15 July, including approximately 13,300 ground strikes. The storm fronts caused considerable local damage, flooded transport routes, and difficult conditions for emergency services and road users.

The regions most affected on Wednesday were the west, as well as the centre and east of the country. Electrical activity was concentrated, among other areas, in Pays de la Loire and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. In Maine-et-Loire, 762 lightning strikes were counted between the afternoon and night. The high number of discharges makes the day one of the stormiest of the year so far.

In addition to heavy rain, large hailstones were a decisive damage factor. In Ardèche, meteorological observations reported hailstones measuring between six and seven centimetres in diameter. They damaged vehicles and residential roofs. In Sarthe, up to 75 litres of rain per square metre fell locally within one hour. Such amounts of precipitation can quickly overwhelm streams and drainage systems.

The thunderstorms formed at the boundary between very warm air, which had previously been over France, and colder air in the upper layers of the atmosphere. This weather situation favoured strong updrafts, hail formation, violent gusts, and intense rain cells. At the same time, the prolonged heat had dried out the soils considerably. As a result, water from heavy rain infiltrates less effectively and can run off quickly over the surface.

On Thursday, 16 July, the situation remains tense. Meteo-France again expects partly severe thunderstorms during the day, from Brittany to Franche-Comté, as well as over the Pyrenees and in Languedoc-Roussillon. At 16:00, official thunderstorm warnings were in place for 16 departments. In addition, warnings for high temperatures remained in effect across many parts of the country.

For affected areas, there remains a risk of hail, local wind gusts, heavy precipitation, and further lightning strikes. Authorities recommend following the latest official weather information, avoiding travel during thunderstorms where possible, and protecting vehicles and hail-sensitive objects. In the event of flooding, underpasses, flooded roads, and riverside areas should be avoided.

Although the thunderstorms bring temporary regional cooling and rain, they do not end the drought across the entire country. Meteo-France notes that soil moisture in France was exceptionally low in mid-year. Therefore, despite the precipitation, the risk of vegetation and forest fires remains high in several regions.