Portions of Northern California may experience thunderstorms this weekend but don’t expect it to come with a downpour.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center forecast on Tuesday that isolated, dry thunderstorms could occur beginning Friday, especially on Saturday.
Here’s what to know about dry thunderstorms.
What are dry thunderstorms?
A dry thunderstorm is just a thunderstorm producing little or no rainfall at the surface because of evaporation, Samantha Zuber, meteorologist with the National Weather Service San Diego said. Rain evaporating between the cloud base and the ground is known as virga, according to NWS Albuquerque .
Are dry thunderstorms dangerous?
While any thunderstorm brings the threat of lightning — which can start fires — this type of thunderstorm means there will be little or no precipitation to help mitigate any fires, she explained. In 2023, Northern California saw 470 fires caused by lightning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center . Southern California experienced 174 fires caused by lightning.