Louisiana Experiences Shocking Number of Lightning Strikes During Thunderstorms

(KTDY) - Thunderstorms swept through much of Louisiana later Wednesday afternoon, and many of the storms had a lot of lightning embedded in them.

If you were on the roads during "drive time" yesterday. On Wednesday, July 30, you probably drove through some severe thunderstorms, and chances are you noticed a lot of lightning in your area.

As we were driving through Lafayette and then south of the city, we too got caught up in many of the storms that swept across the area, and each time lightning would flash, the kids in the vehicle would hide.

Well, I can report that they were ducking down a lot, as many of the storms in Acadiana were packing some serious lightning strikes.

I thought that the storms would sweep through quickly and that would be it, but that was not the case.. Many of the storms on Wednesday lingered, and it felt like for hours we were seeing flashes in the sky.

So many lightning strikes were recorded in Louisiana on Wednesday? According to Meteorologist Steve Caparotta, there were 110,000 lightning strikes recorded in storms on Wednesday, July 30.

While many of the lightning strikes were not cloud-to-ground strikes, some were, as we had a report of a church in South Louisiana being struck by lightning.

Keep in mind that the summer months often produce this type of storm due to daytime heating, and many of these types of storms develop later in the day, so if you have plans outdoors, you should always be weather-aware.

What to Do When You Hear Thunder

Also, remember that if you hear thunder in your area, it is best to get inside and retreat to an enclosed area. You never want to get under a tree or stay outdoors if thunder and lightning are nearby.

More thunderstorms are forecasted for the Acadiana region this week and into the weekend. Storms could produce more lightning in the area, so please stay safe if you're going to be outdoors.

Read More: Hurricane Season Update, Good News for Louisiana 

Read More: See Photo of Larage Amounf ot Meat Stolen

Here's a quick look at the extended forecast for Acadiana.