Lighting season is in full force in Alberta, and will stick around for the next month or so.
After an intense series of storms across Alberta this week — from a lightning storm that sparked several fires in Edmonton, to extreme thunderstorms that pummeled Calgary and Airdrie with hail — we started to wonder where in Alberta is the most likely to experience lightning.
FortisAlberta, an electric distribution provider, has been tracking lightning hot spots across the province, and shared their top 10 list of places most likely to experience lightning last year.
In 2013, FortisAlberta recorded nearly 210,000 lighting strikes for their 55 major service points.
And while the order of the list changes year-to-year, some of the same places routinely pop up, such as St. Albert and Sherwood Park near Edmonton.
Click through to see Alberta's lighting strike hot spots. Story continues below.
Alberta Hot Spots For Lightning Strikes
FortisAlberta reminds us to be proactive in keeping safe when lighting strikes. They recommend disconnecting electronics and electrical appliances before storms hit, to protect from electrical surges when power is restored.
When a storm hits, people should remains inside, if possible, and stay away from door, windows, fireplaces and anything metal that could conduct electricity.
If caught outside, people should take shelter and stay away from objects that conduct electricity, like heavy equipment, golf clubs and water. FortisAlberta says people should get to low ground and stay away from tall objects like trees, hilltops and poles.