Dry lightning can still be disastrous even when conditions aren't so dry, a study has found. These cloud-to-ground strikes during little to no rainfall were previously thought to pose wildfire danger only if occurring with less than 2.5 mm of rain in a day (about 0.10 inches). A Washington State University -led study of lightning-ignited wildfires in the U.S. West found the strikes caused wildfires despite up to 7.7 mm (about 0.3 inches) of precipitation. While still a low amount of rain, the more accurate estimation could help responders more effectively detect fires because it alerts them to stay vigilant for "holdovers," which can smolder for many days before exploding into full-blown wildfires.

https://www.miragenews.com/dry-lightning-ignites-wildfires-amid-wetter-1087459/

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