Tampa is/was known as the “lightning capital of the world”. I can remember days running the few steps from my covered parking to the door of my condo when it literally felt like I was dodging grenades.
The world’s most active lightning spot is not Tampa. It’s in an area of Venezuela know for it’s lightning.
Here are the world’s top ten lightning hotspots, each listed with the average lightning flashes per square kilometer per year:
1 Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, 232.52
2 Kabare, Dem. Rep. of Congo, 205.31
3 Kampene, Dem. Rep. of Congo, 176.71
4 Caceres, Colombia, 172.29
5 Sake, Dem. Rep. of Congo, 143.21
6 Dagar, Pakistan, 143.11
7 El Tarra, Colombia, 138.61
8 Nguti, Cameroon, 129.58
9 Butembo, Dem. Rep. of Congo, 129.50
10 Boende, Dem. Rep. of Congo, 127.52