A new map compiled by NASA shows regions located in the equator or near this region are most likely to experience lightning strikes.

The space agency mapped lightning strike occurrences across the globe using data obtained from 1998 to 2003 by NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite via its Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) and the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) found aboard the OrbView-1/Microlab satellite.

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The data showed lightning in general was most likely to strike on land than on water since rock solid earth can absorb more heat from the Sun and becomes hotter much faster than water. This generates a stronger convection and atmospheric instability over land and normally leads to precipitation forming into storms accompanied by thunder and lightning.  

Scientists from NASA also learned some regions have some unusual trends when it comes to lightning. There's a high occurrence of lightning in the Brahmaputra Valley in eastern India during the month of May. The valley experiences irregular heating and weather patterns from the onslaught of the upcoming monsoon leads to a significant amount of rain and fewer lightning strikes.

Regions that experience most lightning storms, however, are apparently located in central Africa and northwest South America where lightning occurs during the entire year.

The map also reveals the regions in the world with the most lightning storms is apparently located in the Congo in Africa and Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela where a whopping 300 nights per year are plagued by lightning strikes.

NASA's TRMM satellite is a joint project with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and is specifically designed to measure any amount of rainfall for weather and climate research. The main focus of the mission is to further understand how rainfall is distributed and determine the variability of precipitation in tropical regions around the globe that is pivotal to the world's climate system and water cycle.

On the other hand, the OrbView-1/Microlab is an imaging satellite that captures high resolution images of Earth. Its OTD instrument records the number of flashes from lightning strikes and measures their intensity along with the time and location of the strike.

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