139 lightning strikes hammered Vancouver Thursday night in rare thunderstorm
Environment Canada recorded the highest lightning density in the city this year as a low-pressure system moved onshore from the Pacific.
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A spectacular thunderstorm swept across Metro Vancouver Thursday night, July 16, delivering the most intense lightning display the city has seen this year. Environment Canada's lightning detector recorded 139 strikes within a 50-kilometre radius of Vancouver between 9 p.m. and approximately 11:30 p.m.
The storm started in Delta around 9 p.m. and moved across the region until about 10:30 p.m., with some strikes recorded near Squamish and the Fraser Valley extending into the evening. Locals reported hearing the loudest thunder many had experienced in Vancouver, with some describing the noise as resembling explosions.
Environment Canada meteorologist Jenn Cowall said such productive lightning events are rare for Metro Vancouver. The region typically experiences thunderstorms only about one day per month, and rarely sees more than a hundred strikes in a single event. The storm was driven by a low-pressure system moving onshore from the Pacific, carrying convective elements necessary to trigger the weather event. Unlike prairie-style thunderstorms generated by surface heating, Metro Vancouver relies on weather systems to trigger instability.
The storm produced 18,000 lightning strikes across British Columbia over 24 hours, though that figure reflects the province's interior, where ground heating generates more frequent strikes. In August 2024, another evening saw 333 strikes in the Metro Vancouver area, more than twice Thursday's total. The storm produced heavy rain that could have caused flash flooding and reduced visibility, accompanied by strong wind gusts.
The facts
How many lightning strikes hit Vancouver on Thursday, July 16, 2026?
Environment Canada's lightning detector recorded 139 strikes within a 50-kilometre radius of Vancouver between 9 p.m. and approximately 11:30 p.m. on July 16, 2026.
Why are thunderstorms rare in Metro Vancouver?
Metro Vancouver typically experiences thunderstorms only about one day per month and relies on weather systems moving onshore to trigger instability, unlike prairie regions where surface heating generates storms.
What caused Thursday night's thunderstorm?
A low-pressure system moving onshore from the Pacific carried convective elements that triggered the thunderstorm across Metro Vancouver on July 16, 2026.
